The Tampa Bay Lightning competed for the majority of the 2025-26 NHL season without their veteran captain.

Defenseman Victor Hedman played in 33 games, the lowest total of his 17-year career. A pair of injuries, including a procedure on his elbow, kept him out early in the season.

Then, on March 25, the team announced the 35-year-old Hedman was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. He missed Tampa Bay’s final 15 games of the regular season and the seven-game postseason series against the Montreal Canadiens.

MORE: Jon Cooper blames ‘hockey gods’ as Canadiens shock Lightning in Game 7

The Canadiens eliminated the Lightning with a 2-1 victory in Game 7 on Sunday, May 3, in Tampa.

On Tuesday, Hedman released a statement through the team on X addressing his absence to “focus on my mental health.”

“I’ve always believed that being a leader means doing what’s best for the team,” the statement read. “In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be.”

‘Much better place today’

Though he didn’t address the details of his mental health struggle, Hedman shared that he is doing well now.

“I’ve been fortunate to have strong support from my family, my teammates and the organization, my therapist and I’m in a much better place today,” Hedman said in the statement.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper indicated before Game 6 that Tampa Bay may have gotten Hedman back into the lineup if the postseason had lasted longer. Hedman skated with the team during several practices during the playoffs.

The 6-foot-7, 244-pound Hedman owns a rare combination of size and skill. The Lightning selected the Swede with the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, and he leads the franchise in games (1,164), goals (172), assists (639) and points (811) by a defenseman.

Hedman won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the 2020 postseason, leading the Lightning to the first of two consecutive Stanley Cups. He earned the Norris Trophy for the NHL’s top defenseman in 2017-18.

Hedman closed his statement with the hope that his decision helps others address mental health concerns.

“This is something that exists in our game more than people see,” Hedman wrote. “If this moment helps make it easier for others to take care of themselves when they need to, that matters.”

The restructuring is aimed at addressing market volatility and increasing the use of AI tools to improve efficiency.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are through the first round. The most surprising outcome featured no second-ranked teams moving through. However, the NHL continues to provide us with plenty of excitement, as these current Stanley Cup Playoffs have been as entertaining as anyone could hope for. Here are the updated Stanley Cup power rankings.

MORE: Coach Martin St. Louis lets his inner ‘player’ out after Canadiens’ Game 7 win

8. Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim moves on. They face Vegas in the second round. This young Ducks team has raised eyebrows with their ability to play hard and with grit.

7. Philadelphia Flyers

Porter Martone has been the bright spot in the Flyers’ offense. Since his NHL debut, he’s been better than advertised. In the second round, the Flyers face off against the top-seeded Hurricanes. The most interesting statistic for Philadelphia’s postseason run is that they have yet to score a first-period goal.

6. Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas cruised in its first-round showdown with Utah. Now, the Golden Knights turn their attention to Anaheim. The Ducks are not an easy matchup, but the Golden Knights can move on in six games.

5. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens’ second-round series, with the Sabres, has the makings of an all-time playoff matchup. Both teams are playing some of their best hockey. Montreal and Buffalo should see the series go at least six games.

4. Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres did it during the regular season, and their performance has carried over into the postseason. This team is not to be taken lightly. The team’s defense must step up and prevent a hot Canadiens’ offense from doing damage in the second round.

3. Minnesota Wild

The Wild handled the Stars with ease in round one. Now, they focus their attention on the Colorado Avalanche. If Sunday night’s game one, which had 15 goals scored, says anything, this is going to be an offensive barrage of a series.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina swept Ottawa in round one and moved on to face the Philadelphia Flyers. The Hurricanes are the darlings of the Eastern Conference. The Flyers have yet to score a first-period goal in the playoffs, and the Hurricanes can take advantage of early leads throughout their second-round matchup.

1. Colorado Avalanche

The race to the Stanley Cup goes through Colorado. The Avalanche are the NHL’s best and rightfully so. Nathan MacKinnon is the favorite to win the year’s Conn Smythe Trophy.

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The Detroit Pistons are moving on, and now the challenge gets real.

After a gritty, emotional seven-game series win over the Orlando Magic, the No. 1-seeded Pistons turn their attention to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. It is a matchup that brings contrasting styles, star power on both sides, and just enough familiarity to make things interesting.

This one has all the ingredients of a long series.

Cade Cunningham vs Donovan Mitchell headline the series

If you are looking for the storyline, it starts with the stars.

Cade Cunningham has been the engine behind Detroit’s breakout season, averaging 23.9 points and 9.9 assists during the regular season. In Game 7 against Orlando, he elevated his play even further, controlling the pace and delivering when the Pistons needed him most.

Across the floor, Donovan Mitchell represents one of the most dangerous scorers in the NBA. He led Cleveland with 27.9 points per game and also chipped in 5.7 assists, making him both a scoring threat and a playmaker.

This series may ultimately come down to which star can consistently dictate the game.

Frontcourt battle could tilt the series

Detroit’s strength inside has been a defining factor all season.

Jalen Duren averaged 10.5 rebounds per game and provides a physical presence that can change possessions on both ends. Tobias Harris adds scoring versatility and veteran stability, while Isaiah Stewart anchors the defense with rim protection.

Cleveland counters with Evan Mobley, one of the league’s most versatile bigs, averaging 9.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. His ability to defend multiple positions and stretch the floor creates matchup challenges.

This is not just a guard-driven series. The battle in the paint will matter.

Pistons depth vs Cavaliers experience

Detroit’s rise has been fueled by balance.

Alongside Cunningham, players like Ausar Thompson have carved out key roles. Thompson averaged 2.0 steals per game and brings elite defensive energy that could be critical in slowing Cleveland’s perimeter attack.

The Pistons also showed resilience, coming back from a 3-1 deficit and even erasing a 22-point hole in Game 6 against Orlando. That kind of experience builds confidence quickly.

Cleveland, however, brings a different kind of edge.

This is a team with playoff experience and a proven ability to execute in tight situations. They will look to slow the pace, force half-court sets, and challenge Detroit’s young core to stay disciplined.

Regular season series shows how tight this matchup is

If you are looking for clues, the regular season did not offer much separation.

Detroit and Cleveland split their four meetings, each team going 2-2. The games were competitive across the board, with multiple contests decided by single digits.

That tells you everything you need to know.

There is no clear mismatch here.

What will decide the series

For Detroit, it comes down to continuing their identity.

Ball movement, defensive intensity, and Cunningham’s ability to control tempo are all critical. If the Pistons can push the pace and create open looks, they will put pressure on Cleveland’s defense.

For the Cavaliers, the focus will be limiting turnovers and leaning on Mitchell’s scoring in key moments. If Cleveland can grind the game down and turn it into a half-court battle, they will be right where they want to be.

Execution late in games could swing multiple outcomes in this series.

Prediction: Pistons vs Cavaliers

This feels like a series that goes the distance.

Detroit has momentum, confidence, and home-court advantage. Cleveland has experience and one of the most dynamic scorers in the league.

In the end, the edge goes to the team that just proved it can handle adversity at the highest level.

Prediction: Pistons in 7

Detroit’s depth, defensive versatility, and Cunningham’s emergence as a true star should be enough to push them through a tightly contested series.

But make no mistake, this will not come easy.