Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov is expected to miss the entire regular season because of a hip injury that requires surgery.
General manager Julien BriseBois ruled out Kucherov on Wednesday for the 56-game season that begins Jan. 13 and ends May 8. Kucherov played through a groin injury in the playoffs on the way to helping the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in late September. He complained of the hip problem in early December.
Losing the 2019 NHL MVP and leading scorer from the 2020 playoffs is a blow to the defending champs, but they’ll be able to use long-term injury relief from Kucherov’s $9.5 million salary-cap hit to re-sign their final key restricted free agent, center Anthony Cirelli.
Kucherov, 27, had a postseason-best 34 points on seven goals and 27 assists in the NHL bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta. He led the league in scoring with 128 points in the 2018-19 season to earn the Hart Trophy.
• The NHL postponed the outdoor Stadium Series game in North Carolina that was expected to be played in February.
• Chicago forward Alex Nylander, 22, could miss the 2021 season because of a left knee injury suffered during the playoffs.
• The Devils re-signed restricted free agent goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a three-year, $8.4 million contract.
• The Predators signed forward Mikael Granlund to a one-year, $3.75 million contract.
• The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Casey Mittelstadt for one year at $874,125.
• Goalie Ryan Miller is returning to the Anaheim Ducks on a one-year, $1 million contract.
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