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 goal

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