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Hedman out with mild concussion

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: November 7, 2009

Updated: 11/07/2009 12:17 am

MONTREAL - Victor Hedman had his fair share of well-wishers show up at Bell Centre on Friday, a day after the rookie defenseman took a vicious hit from Ottawa winger Chris Neil.

As Hedman sat in the stands watching his teammates go through practice, players from the Swedish national junior team filed into the stands to exchange handshakes and hugs with their longtime teammate.

For Hedman, however, he would rather have been on the ice putting on a show. Instead, the 6-foot-6 blue liner must sit out tonight's game against Montreal and may not be ready to play when Tampa Bay returns to the ice Thursday against Minnesota.

While he said he is feeling fine and has no lingering effects from the hit sustained Thursday, he must pass a series of tests after suffering a mild concussion before he can return to the lineup.

"I was talking to (associate coach) Rick Wilson and we were saying that back in the day you'd probably just throw water on your back and go out," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said. "But now, with those lingering effects you just have to be very careful. You got to make sure. Lucky that's his first one, and hopefully it's just a mild concussion. It's one of those things you've got to go through the whole process and when they say he's ready, we'll play him."

While there is no debate on whether Hedman needs to sit out, opinions still vary as to whether Neil was in the wrong for barreling over Hedman, who was in a vulnerable position as Neil came flying around the net, and hitting Hedman at full speed.

The league did not say whether the play was under review, with NHL senior vice president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell saying in an e-mail that "we do not comment on supplemental discipline" matters.

Inside the Lightning locker room, opinions were still varied the day after, with Hedman weighing in on the issue, even joking about the situation when a reporter asked him the biggest difference between the Swedish Elite League and the NHL.

"The biggest step is that everything just goes so much faster," he said. "But you still have to be patient, you don't need to rush things, keep them simple and you have to know what to do with the puck before you get it.

"And you have to keep your head up."

He said the last line so deadpanned, somebody had to ask him if he meant that to be a joke, which of course he did.

"It was a big hit, it was a clean hit ... I mean, I didn't see it, but I was told it was a clean hit," Hedman said. "I was trying to pass the puck to (Mattias Ohlund). I tried to reach for it and he just came and run over me."

But Zenon Konopka, one of the more outspoken players regarding Neil after Thursday's game, calling for a league review, said he still feels that same way.

"He didn't even try to play the puck," Konopka said of Neil. "And he came from the blue line and (Hedman) is in a vulnerable position. (Neil) has to use common sense."

Konopka clarified that when he said there should be repercussions for the hit, he wasn't necessarily talking about a fine or suspension from the league.

"They have to come into Tampa one more time," Konopka said of Ottawa's visit to Tampa on April 8.

Others, however, weren't so sure the hit was dirty with the Lightning's LW Ryan Malone calling it an unfortunate situation, but said it was just a strong forecheck on Neil's part.

Tocchet, meanwhile, said after the game he felt it was a clean hit, but could see how it can be interpreted either way.

"I can understand both sides," he said. "I know some people thought it was illegal, but there is no clear-cut rule for it ... sometimes I've seen some hits that are a lot less than that get a fine or suspension. So it's a tough call. I honestly have a tough time giving an opinion either way, I really do."

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

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