Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman missed most of Tuesday's 7-3 win against the Maple Leafs with an unknown injury.
The 32-year-old Swede was absent from the Lightning's bench to begin the second period and after briefly making a return, he headed back to the locker room. He did not return to the game.
After the game, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper did not have much of an update on his status.
"It's way too early to tell," Cooper told reporters. "This is one of those, 'Let's wake up tomorrow and see what's going on.'"
Cooper added that the Lightning are "hoping" Hedman will be good to go for Game 2.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion with Tampa, Hedman has 107 career points in 155 post-season appearances. Following the team's 2021 Stanley Cup win, it was revealed Hedman had played for months with a torn meniscus.
Erik Cernak and Mikey Eyssimont also left Tuesday's contest with injuries, but Cooper did not provide an update on either player post-game. Cernak left after taking an illegal check to the head from Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting, who was ejected as a result of the play. Eyssimont left the game following a high, hard hit he received from Jake McCabe.
The Lightning and Maple Leafs are facing off in Round 1 of the playoffs, a rematch of last year's opening series, which Toronto lost 4-3.
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