Lightning rookie won’t play against Canadiens

Hedman is a mature 18year old not complaining or crying by a big hit, he will be a big star in this leauge, until he leaves for KHL and make some big bucks!!!!!!?

Hits like Neals are not part of hockey as it was meant to be played. It's page out of the NFL where safetys aim at defenceless receivers over the middle with the intent to injure. A body check is meant to take a player off the puck, not to take aim to totally destroy a player. These type of wanton mean brutal hits will ruin hockey. There is nothing clean about them.

Brutally clean hit. Hedman just needs to learn to keep his head up all the time cause you never know what a guy like Neil is gonna take advantage of a split second loss of focus. Neil read the play, coasted in behind the net and plowed a shoulder right into his chest. It was absolutely clean. No hit to the head, did not leave his feet, was not boarding, was not charging, just an awesome hit. Neil can be a nasty guy but this was a legit hit. All players should be looking to make a hit like this that is clean but brutal, not ones like Richards on Booth that are completely illegal and career if not life threatening. All Richards had to do to Booth was send him skidding across the ice by a solid shoulder to shoulder check, not to the hospital with a blow directly to the head. Anyways nice work Neil and hopefully the youngster will be back on the blue line shortly.

Clean hit, my a**. It's the same kind of hit as that OHL play where the player has been suspended for
the season. It's an all-out charge for maximum damage. If Hedman had been close to death like
Fanelli, people would be singing a different tune.

All I keep reading is how clean the hit was, but from what I saw during slow mo replay, Neil's feet were clearly off the ice before he hit Hedman....or maybe I'm just blinded my hatred for all things Chris Neil......

I have to echo what others are saying- nice to see an 18 year old with this maturity. The NHL is an incredibly fast game. Even faster than international, college, and junior leagues. As a FORMER Lightning season ticket holder, I say good for Hedman and good for the Lightning.

RESPECT for hedman saying it was a clean hit. And that he has to keep his head up. Signs of maturity. Hopefully he can be a future lidstrom/pronger hybrid....

Yo Lew...have you seen his play thus far?!? Very mature player for 18. Swedish Premeire League prepared him well. Where's the lack of focus??

TAMPA ALL THE WAY game time

I hope he can mature quickly and stay focused on hockey!