Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Lightning star Nikita Kucherov out eight to 10 weeks following surgery

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 10/27/21

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced Wednesday that star winger Nikita Kucherov will miss eight to 10 weeks after undergoing surgery on Tuesday for an unspecified lower-body injury.

UPDATE: Nikita Kucherov underwent a successful procedure on Tuesday and will miss approximately 8-10 weeks with a lower body injury.
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) October 27, 2021

Kucherov, 28, has not played since sustaining a mid-game injury against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 16. He had registered four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in three games before being injured.

This isn't the first time the Bolts have been without the dynamic Russian winger for a long stretch of time. Kucherov missed the entire shortened 2021 regular season after having hip surgery in December 2020, not returning until the start of the playoffs. He then led the league in postseason scoring with 32 points as Tampa Bay went on to win its second consecutive Stanley Cup.

As The Athletic's Joe Smith points out, the two-month recovery window puts Kucherov's return around the start of the new calendar year.

We had reported Tuesday that Nikita Kucherov would be out about another eight weeks. This 8-10 week timeline puts @TBLightning star’s return between mid-December to around the turn of the calendar year. Still a long time but still half a season left https://t.co/C4553LcLJF https://t.co/JEtqC6liqs
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) October 27, 2021