Hedman was hurt early in their last round-robin game but will play in Game 1 vs. Columbus. The injury didn't look great at the time, so it's great news for the Lightning that he is feeling no lingering effects. Hedman had one assist in the three round-robin games.
Hedman was injured early in the Lightning’s round-robin finale vs. the Flyers and did not return. Head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on his status on Monday and said his availability will be determined on Tuesday. The Lightning play in the first game of the day (3:00 PM) so there will be no morning skate for Hedman to test out his injury.
Vasilevskiy will start the Lightning's first round-robin game after leading the NHL with 35 wins and posting a 2.56 GAA and .917 SV% in the regular season. As good as he was throughout the season, he struggled against the Capitals, giving up eight goals on 68 shots (.882 SV%) in two games.
Hedman stayed back in Tampa at first due to personal reasons but joined his teammates on Friday and practiced on Saturday. Head coach Jon Cooper said that Hedman "hasn't really skipped a beat," so he'll play in the first game of their round-robin schedule.
The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the playoff bubble in Toronto on Sunday but Hedman remained in Tampa for a "personal matter." Hedman and Tampa's strength coach will stay back until Friday, at which point both will fly to Toronto and meet back up with the team. Hedman will miss Tampa Bay's exhibition game against the Panthers on Wednesday but will be available for all three round-robin games, general manager Julien BriseBois said.
Tampa Bay selected Semykin with the No.90 pick (third round) in 2018. The 6-foot-2, 214 lbs. Russian defenseman played in Russia's second league in 2019-20, tallying nine goals and 15 assists (24 points) in 44 games with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL). He wass a member of the Russian U-18 team but was not selected for the World Juniors.
Walcott was picked by the Rangers in fifth-round in 2014 but was traded to the Lightning for a seventh-round pick in 2015. Since then, Walcott has appeared in 239 games with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) and set new career-highs in goals (7) and points (19) while playing in 55 games in 2019-20.
Chaffee was an undrafted free agent who just finished his junior season at UMass-Amherst. He finished the year second on the team with 29 points (16G / 13A) in 30 games.
The Blackhawks drafted Tomkins in the seventh-round in 2012. Following a four-year stint at Ohio State University, Tomkins turned pro and joined the Blackhawks affiliates in the ECHL and AHL. He spent all of 2019 in the ECHL before starting 13 games with Rockford (AHL) in 2020, going 5-7-1 with a 3.12 GAA and .896 SV%.
Atkinson missed the last 14 games with a high ankle sprain but is expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow vs. the Penguins. Prior to getting hurt, Atkinson had no points in his last seven games.
Hagel was originally a sixth-round pick of the Sabres in 2016 but signed with Chicago in 2018. The 21-year-old will replace Drake Caggiula (hand) on the third line and comes up with 19 goals and 12 assists (31 points) in 59 AHL games this season.
Vasilevskiy gave up three goals on 38 shots in the Lightning's win in Boston on Saturday. He was given Sunday night off in Detroit, so look for Vasilevskiy to be back in the crease tonight in Toronto. He has gone 1-1-0 while giving up a combined seven goals on 51 shots (.863 SV%) in his first two starts against the Maple Leafs this season.
Hedman was on the ice for the Lightning's morning skate but will miss his second straight game with a lower-body injury that he suffered in Boston on Saturday. However, his availability for the morning skate suggests he's close to playing, so monitor his status prior to Thursday's game vs. the Flyers.
Vasilevskiy gave up three goals on 38 shots in the Lightning's win in Boston on Saturday. He was given Sunday night off in Detroit, so look for Vasilevskiy to be back in the crease tonight in Toronto. He has gone 1-1-0 while giving up a combined seven goals on 51 shots (.863 SV%) in his first two starts against the Maple Leafs this season.
Hedman left Saturday's game in Boston with an undisclosed injury and is questionable to play tonight in Detroit. Head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on Hedman's status postgame but said he'll be re-evaluated prior to Sunday's game. If Ryan McDonagh isn't ready to return, look for Luke Schenn to replace Hedman.
