Lightning's Nikita Kucherov: Encouraged to shoot more

Kucherov is the team's leading scorer, but the coaching staff feels he has been passing too much lately, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Analysis:

Kucherov did not even attempt a shot in Thursday's game against the Sharks, and the coaching staff wants to curb that. He is too talented to not shoot the puck early and often. Fantasy owners will be very pleased if the coaching staff gets through to him, and he resumes his scoring ways. Still, he has four goals and seven points in nine January games heading into Saturday's tilt, so it isn't like he has been punishing his owners.