The two-time Stanley Cup winner suffered an injury in warm-ups.
"There was something that happened right at the end of the warm-up. A medical issue prevented him, so we had to make a last-minute change there. But he chooses to be on the bench because he wants to be close to the team," national team captain Sam Hallam told SVT during the first-period break.
It is unclear what kind of injury it is, and whether Hedman can play in any possible promotion for Sweden. Hedman has been plagued by injury problems earlier in the season.
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