Victor Hedman is back around the Tampa Bay Lightning, getting some ice time and moving closer to a return, but coach Jon Cooper said the captain is probably not available right now. Cooper said Saturday after practice that Hedman will travel with the club on its upcoming trip, even though he is unlikely to play against the Canadiens.
Hedman left the lineup in early March, and his absence has forced Tampa Bay to keep adjusting its defense late in the season and into the playoffs. Cooper said, “Vic’s been around us. He’s slowly starting to get some ice time and stuff like that and get himself, hopefully, back. We love having him around, because he’s our captain and he’s a wealth of experience. He’s going to be with us on this trip.”
The trip appears set to include Montreal later in the week for Games Three and Four, with Hedman expected to go along even if he does not dress. The Lightning had been working with fairly steady pairings before Cooper began resting players at the end of the season, and the latest look at practice showed Declan Carlile and Max Crozier skating together as a pair.
That matters because Tampa Bay’s blue line has leaned on different combinations this season, including J.J. Moser on his off-side with Hedman earlier in the year. Moser had 7 goals and 22 assists, and the Moser-Raddysh duo has been one of the club’s most effective looks at 5v5, posting a 57.71% edge in expected goals while producing 3.13 goals for per 60 minutes and allowing 2.04 against.
The first real sign of where Hedman stands came with Cooper’s decision to sound optimistic without opening the door too far. “As we all know, he’s going to be with us, probably not available right now. And it’s playoff time, so we keep those things close to the vest,” the coach said. For Tampa Bay, that means the captain is close enough to travel, but not close enough yet to be counted on.