Hedman, 35, has played 33 games for Tampa Bay this season, recording one goal and 16 assists. He has not appeared in the team's last three games, according to multiple reports. The team captain's absence comes as Tampa Bay, in third place in the NHL's Eastern Conference, has twelve games remaining in the regular season.
Hedman, who has represented Sweden's Tre Kronor in the Olympics, is taking a break for unspecified personal reasons. According to the Lightning, no further details will be shared, and the team asks that his privacy be respected. The specific reasons for his pause and its duration have not been disclosed, nor is it clear if he will return this season or how his absence might affect Tampa Bay's playoff prospects.