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Victor Hedman is one of the top defensemen in the world.
But through 10 minutes against Team USA in an Olympic quarterfinal on Wednesday, Hedman hadn't played a single shift.
NBC play-by-play man Kenny Albert wondered aloud at that point, "Have we seen Victor Hedman yet?"
No, we haven't.
The Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman was injured for some of the first half of the season, but he was playing before the Olympic break.
There is no way Sweden is benching Victor Hedman, right? It has to be injury related.
There have been some seriously questionable decisions by Sweden's coaching staff, but surely they are not THAT insane.
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Why isn't Victor Hedman playing?
There are two possible explanations, neither ideal.
Hedman could be battling an injury that has nagged him of late for the Lightning. He made sure to get back on the ice before the Olympics so he was ready.
Sweden played Tuesday, and there's a chance Hedman aggravated something.
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Given that Sweden dressed him and scratched Rasmus Andersson, though, Hedman can't be too injured.
Sweden has also made a habit of playing a seventh defenseman nearly none or totally no shifts through its Olympic games.
Maybe somehow Hedman drew that short straw.
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