Hedman Undergoes Elbow Surgery, Aiming for Olympic Comeback with Team Sweden

Defender of the Tampa Bay Lightning, **[Viktor Hedman](https://www.nhl.com/player/viktor-hedman-8471679)**, will undergo elbow surgery, as announced by the team’s press service on social media platform X. It is anticipated that the hockey player will return to the ice in early February and compete for the Swedish national team at the 2026 Winter Olympics. For the 34-year-old Swede, this will mark his first Olympic appearance.

This season, Hedman has played 18 games, contributing 12 assists. Over his NHL career, he has participated in 1,319 games, all with Tampa Bay, and accumulated a total of 926 points (194 goals and 732 assists). Viktor was selected by the Lightning in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft, going second overall.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22 in two Italian cities—Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The men’s Olympic tournament is set to start on February 11.