Lightning captain Victor Hedman back on the ice before playoff opener
As 11th-hour preparations for the Lightning's playoff opener took place outside Benchmark International Arena Sunday morning, captain Victor Hedman was among nine players who took part in the team's optional ice availability.
Hedman, who hasn't played since March 19 and has been on a leave of absence for personal reasons, won't be available for the start of the postseason, head coach Jon Cooper indicated Saturday But Cooper left the door wide open for the defenseman's potential return at some point during the playoffs.
The Lightning's first-round series against the Canadiens gets underway Sunday night with Game 1.
The morning skate was the first time Hedman has been seen taking part in on-ice team activities since he left the team on March 25. He will be with the Lightning throughout the playoffs, both at home and on the road.
Asked before the game about Hedman's timetable now that's he's resumed skating, Cooper quelled any expectations that his return is on the horizon.
"Hopefully I'm not sounding disrespectful," Cooper said. "We love seeing guys skate and stuff like that, but that still could mean they're three weeks away, and so. ... you just never know. You want all your guys healthy, but this is a crazy game and it's hard to have everybody be healthy. So, with injuries and stuff like that, it's gonna be hard for me."
Hedman wasn't made available to the media following the morning skate, and it's presumed he won't talk until he's active. But his presence did add a spark to the informal pregame skate that was made up of mostly young players.
"He hasn't lost a step, still putting it on the tape," said forward Conor Geekie, who was called up from AHL Syracuse on Sunday. "I think it's super awesome. It's so nice kind of having him around. I haven't really kind of been here for the brunt of it, but anytime he's around the rink, you know, he just puts a smile on your face. So, again, it's awesome."
Geekie returns
Geekie finds himself back in Tampa, and potentially back in the lineup for Game 1, just four days after he had been reassigned to AHL Syracuse.
When that happened, Geekie was set on doing what he could to help the Crunch in the Calder Cup playoffs. But to his surprise, his time with Syracuse was short.
The Lightning announced Sunday morning that Geekie and goaltender Brandon Halverson had been promoted, while forwards Jakob Pelletier and Mitchell Chaffee and defenseman Steven Santini were reassigned to Syracuse.
Geekie played for the Crunch Friday in Belleville, Ontario, but wasn't playing where he normally had this season with Syracuse. After the game, coach and general manager Joel Bouchard told him he was returning to Tampa. Saturday morning, Geekie was in a car traveling from Belleville to Toronto to fly back to Tampa.
"I got in (Saturday), and (defenseman Ryan McDonagh) texted me and he's like, ‘We've got a team dinner.' My room wasn't quite ready yet, so I literally was sitting at the rink for a couple hours and then got here (Sunday) morning and thought I should probably move on the ice a little bit before this. But again, it was awesome."
Geekie, 21, averaged more than a point a game with Syracuse this season, accumulating 17 goals and 59 points in 57 games. He scored his first NHL goal of the season Monday against Detroit on a breakaway.
The Lightning are expected to have both Geekie and rookie center Dominic James available for Game 1. James has been out since Feb. 28 with a right leg injury.
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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 1:26 PM.