Victor Hedman practiced with the Lightning: another step forward in his development

Félix Forget
Victor Hedman practiced with the Lightning: another step forward in his development
Credit: NHL.com

Since the start of the series between the Habs and the Lightning, Martin St-Louis's team hasn't had to face Victor Hedman. The Lightning captain is sidelined for personal reasons, and it's unclear when he'll be able to return.

Jon Cooper stated earlier in the series that the likelihood of Hedman playing against the Habs is “doubtful,” except that…

Up until now, we've seen Hedman on the ice, but only in situations where the defenseman wasn't skating with the rest of the team. He was mostly seen skating alone or with a handful of teammates without participating in the team's practice sessions.

But today, all that changed: Hedman took part in the team's practice, a first since he left for personal reasons on March 25.

That doesn't mean he'll play tomorrow (he practiced as an extra)… but it does mean he's making progress.

Cooper remained fairly vague about his defenseman, stating that there is still no clear timeline for the captain's return to action. The opposite would have been surprising, let's face it.

But what Cooper did admit is that the Swede is making good progress right now. And suddenly, one has to wonder if there's a scenario in which Hedman could be in uniform by the end of the series.

Remember that unlike Hedman, Noah Dobson hasn't yet taken part in a regular practice with the rest of the team. But in reality, you can feel it's getting closer… and since his absence has been shorter than Dobson's, he might need a little less time once he gets to the team practice stage.

I don't expect the Lightning captain to be in uniform tomorrow, just as I don't expect to see Dobson. But could the team that loses tomorrow's game go all out by bringing back its sidelined defenseman (whether it's Hedman or Dobson tonight) into the lineup for Friday's game?

It's a valid question.


In a nutshell

– Funny scene.

– Slaf's health continues to be a hot topic.

– Impressive.

– Things could get shake-up this summer in the NHL.

– Oh, really?

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