The 2020 Stanley Cup winners Tampa Bay Lightning will have to kick off the new NHL campaign without their star winger Nikita Kucherov. According to the team’s general manager Julien BriseBrois, Kucherov is set to undergo hip surgery and will be out for the entire regular season.
Still, the Lightning hope that Kucherov will manage to recover in time to help the team make another Stanley Cup run if they make the playoffs. The 27-year-old player was a key contributor for Tampa last postseason, contributing with seven goals and 27 assists for team-leading 34 points despite a nagging groin injury.
“Nobody loves playing hockey more than Nikita Kucherov,” said BriseBrois. “I know how hard he’ll work to get back as soon as possible.”
Considering that Nikita Kucherov’s injury is considered long-term, his $9.5 million salary won’t count against Tampa Bay Lightning’s salary cap. The team was more than $7 million over the cap, but with this relief, they will stay cap-compliant and won’t be forced to trade any of their players.
Kucherov has been one of the league’s best players in recent years, making two NHL First All-Star Team selections and receiving three consecutive All-Star nods. He was especially dominant in 2018/19, finishing the season with 128 points and receiving Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.
Thorough his seven-season in NHL, Kucherov played 515 games and has 547 points (221 goals and 326 assists) to show for.
