Hedman 'energized' ahead of first game for Lightning since last March

NEW YORK -- Victor Hedman is feeling lighter in mind and body as he gears up for the start of his 18th NHL season.

Hedman will be back in the Tampa Bay Lightning lineup against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, MSG, TVAS) for the first time since March 19. 

He returns after missing the end of last season while on a leave of absence so he could prioritize his own mental health. Hedman left the team on March 20 and missed the final 15 games of the regular season and all seven the Lightning played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He told NHL.com in August that he was going through bouts of performance anxiety that would lock him up and not allow him to perform.

That's gone now. 

"It's always a little bit nervous before opening night and maybe a little bit more, but at the same time I'm confident and energy-wise I feel great," Hedman said. "It's going to be a lot of fun today."

The 35-year-old defenseman also returned to Tampa Bay in August 16 pounds lighter than when he left, dropping from 244 pounds to 228, a result of a change in his training and diet so he could be, feel and play lighter.

"As you get older the less mass you have to move around the faster you feel," Hedman said. "That's kind of been the feeling for me throughout camp.

"Bottom line, I don't think I lost any power or strength in that regard. I'm still quite heavy for this League so boxing out and winning battles is not going to be any different. But hopefully I feel as light as I am today and just get moving on my skates. That's my biggest strength as a player so just have to use that."

The noticeable difference in Hedman's physique initially caught Lightning coach Jon Cooper off guard.

"He was ripped," Cooper said. "Not that he wasn't before. It was just he definitely had a goal in mind, and he looked after himself."

The more Cooper watched Hedman in training camp and through his preseason games the more he recognized the importance of the weight loss.

"He came back in exceptional shape," Cooper said. "Especially in a time when there's no (fitness) testing, so he didn't have to, but he came back in exceptional shape and I think that has jumpstarted how he's played so far."

It has jumpstarted Hedman's confidence too after a tumultuous 2025-26 season.

Multiple injuries and the personal decision to get a handle on his mental health resulted in him missing 49 games. By comparison, he missed a combined 43 in the previous 10 seasons.

"Last year was hopefully a blip on the radar," Hedman said. "When you play 33 games, it was a tough year in that regard. At the same time maybe a blessing too. Feeling excited and energized. Feel good."

He also feels less nervous than he thought he would entering his first game in nearly six and a half months.

"But I think that goes into the confidence that I feel in myself and the confidence I feel in the way I prepared," Hedman said. "That's all you can really focus on today is how you prepare and your work ethic. The rest is going to take care of itself."