The Tampa Bay Lightning have to brace themselves for a life without their star winger Nikita Kucherov. The team announced earlier this week that Kucherov underwent surgery and is set to spend eight to 10 weeks on the sidelines.
The team didn’t provide much detail on the reasons for the procedure, but the reports say Kutcherov has been dealing with an unspecified lower-body injury.
The 28-year-old All-Star got hurt after a collision in the third quarter of a 2-1 overtime win against the Washington Capitals in mid-October. At the time, the Lightning were cautiously optimistic that Kucherov wouldn’t miss much time despite ruling him out indefinitely.
Nikita Kucherov previously missed the entire 2020-21 NHL regular season after having surgery on his hip but managed to return in time for the playoffs. He ended up leading the Lightning to their second consecutive Stanley Cup trophy while having the most assists (24) and points (32) than any other player in the playoffs. Kucherov played three games this season, including the Capitals one, and has one goal and three assists for a total of four points.
Kucherov’s absence might prove to be a tough blow for the Tampa Bay Lightning, especially since the team entered the 2021-22 season worse than expected. While they currently sit at a 4-3-1 record, they already experienced a three-game losing streak this season, while half of their wins came in overtime.
