Lightning Star Injured, Return Date Unknown

The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without their top player for an unknown amount of time.

Nov 19, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) handles the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost a tough game to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Going down by a score of 5-3, the Lightning could have used some more offensive firepower against the Leafs in their divisional contest.

The issue for the Lightning is that their star player and perennial Art Ross Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov wasn't in the lineup. The 31-year-old winger was scratched from the lineup with an undisclosed injury.

The exact details and timeline of Kucherov's injury haven't been disclosed by the Lightning. What we do know is that he played during the team's previous game against the Nashville Predators. He missed the entirety of the second period of that game after looking visibly uncomfortable during an attempted deke around a Predators' defender. But Kuch was able to return in the third period and record an assist to help his team capture the 3-2 victory.

Whatever ailed him in that game is likely what kept him out of this contest against the Leafs. Without him in the lineup, the team recalled former Stanley Cup-winning forward Connor Sheary to fill his void in the lineup.

The good news for Kucherov and the Lightning is that they have a nice break before their next game. They have four days off, which will hopefully give their star forward the appropriate rest and recovery time he needs to return to the lineup.

In the meantime, the Lightning are trying to keep a next man up mentality. Team captain Viktor Hedman told NHL.com precisely that following the team's loss to the Maple Leafs.

"We've got four days so hopefully we can get some bodies back, but it's a next man up mentality," he said. "Conor came in and played a great game. We have full confidence in the next guy but obviously missing ‘Kuch’ and ‘Pauly’ are big losses."

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