Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper isn't expecting to see the injured Nikita Kucherov back on the ice anytime soon.
"It's definitely not a day-to-day thing, so we'll wait until we get an official word, but he's definitely out," Cooper said Monday, per NHL.com. "He's going to be out for a while here."
Kucherov exited Saturday's game against the Washington Capitals in noticeable discomfort during the third period after a collision with Washington forward Garnet Hathaway.
The Lightning defeated the Capitals in overtime with Kucherov sidelined to improve to 2-1 on the young season.
Kucherov missed the entire 2020-21 regular season while recovering from hip surgery. He returned in time for the playoffs, posting 32 points in 23 games to help Tampa Bay capture its second consecutive Stanley Cup.
The 28-year-old has led the Lightning in scoring in each of the past five seasons he's been healthy. Kucherov has four points in three games this campaign.
