Victor Hedman Opens Up on What Actually Forced Him Away From the Lightning

Victor Hedman has revealed the real reason behind his leave of absence this past season, and it had nothing to do with a physical injury. The Tampa Bay Lightning captain says he was privately battling performance anxiety that became overwhelming as the year went on.

The good news is that Hedman says he’s feeling great now and is grateful for the support system he had around him.

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Hedman described waking up on game days with tightness in his chest, feeling the pressure build before he’d even stepped on the ice, and struggling to shake off mistakes the way he always had over his career. It sounds incredible given how strong a player Hedman is, but it goes to show that anxiety can affect anyone. “It kind of locks you up. You make a mistake and in the past you’d be able to shake it off, but I couldn’t do that. And I wasn’t feeling 100 percent physically.” 

Hedman is a Norris Trophy winner and a captain widely considered one of the best defensemen in the world. He’s been the backbone of Tampa Bay’s blue line for over a decade. To think he questioned his own performance to the point that he felt sick sounds almost unfathomable. However, Hedman was also likely holding himself to an incredibly high standard. Admitting the mental side of the game became too much is a striking reminder that even the league’s biggest stars aren’t immune to hitting a breaking point.

Hedman says he’s in a much better place now and is ready for a fresh start heading into the new season. He has no regrets about stepping away and hopes his experience can serve as a reminder that “it is okay to not be okay.”

Hedman hasn’t played a game since March 19. It might take some time for the 35-year-old to get readjusted. “You’re on the ice every day, you’re in the gym and you feel good, and that makes, obviously, the mental part easier too when you feel you can perform in your job to the fullest extent. I’m sure it’s going to take me a few games to get back into the rhythm of playing in the League since I haven’t played in a long time, but I’m super fresh, hungry and super motivated to go out there and play my best hockey.”

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