TAMPA, Fla — Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov is set to return against Calgary after missing 32 games with a lower-body injury.
Kucherov got hurt chasing a puck during the third period Oct. 16 at Washington. The high-scoring forward appeared to be injured in the groin-abdominal area.
He underwent surgery on Oct. 26. He's been recovering for more than 10 weeks.
"[Kucherov] is ready to go. I expect him to play," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, according to NHL.com. "This has been building. We've been kind of targeting this game as the game he's coming back. So I guess the really good thing is there's no step back."
As NHL.com points out, Kucherov was a key figure in the Bolts' last Stanley Cup run, leading the postseason with eight goals and 24 assists to earn the team its second straight championship title. His triumphant return in that postseason came after he'd missed the 2020-2021 regular season following hip surgery.
This season, he has only played three games so far, but he boasted a goal and three assists.
"Kucherov ranks eighth in the NHL in points since the 2014-15 season (533) despite playing three games the past two seasons," NHL.com writes.
Despite Kucherov's highly-anticipated return, Cooper indicated there was still uncertainty in the Lightning lineup this week.
Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos did not participate in the morning skate due to an undisclosed issue. Cooper says it will be a “game-time decision” if Stamkos plays against the Flames.
Puck drops for the Bolts and Flames at 7 p.m. ET Thursday at Amalie Arena.
