Lightning hit with disappointing Victor Hedman injury update

The Tampa Bay Lightning are one of many teams in the Eastern Conference hovering around .500. After a sluggish start, they went on a five-game winning streak and have stayed above water since. But the Lightning will be without their top defenseman for a while, as Victor Hedman got a brutal injury update.

Hedman is “probably a couple of weeks away still,” Jon Cooper told the media, per NHL.com. “It’s just a tough one for him. The big thing here is the longevity and having him be better in the long run.”

Hedman is in his 17th season with the Lightning, with 13 points in 15 games. Since he was drafted second overall in 2009, Hedman has won one Norris Trophy, two Stanley Cups, and the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Lightning are not the same team defensively without him, having allowed 15 goals in his four-game absence.

The Lightning are getting a reinforcement, however. Nick Paul is set to make his season debut on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. According to practice reports, he took line rushes with center Brayden Point and winger Jake Guentzel ahead of Thursday’s game. They put Paul in an advantageous situation with two of their best players coming off the shelf.

The Lightning started the season 1-4-2, which put them in the basement of the Eastern Conference. But talent won out, with them now holding onto the final Wild Card spot. They will be tested now without their top defenseman and captain for multiple weeks. Their upcoming schedule includes key Eastern Conference matchups against the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers.

The Lightning have another injury on the defense, as Erik Cernak missed their last game against the New Jersey Devils. Tampa has to have one of Cernak or Hedman on the back end, or bad results will start piling up.