TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov has entered COVID-19 protocol, the team's beat writer Bryan Burns reported Tuesday.
Kucherov got back on the ice just earlier this month after missing 32 games with a lower-body injury.
Since his return, the Bolts' star has scored four goals and nine assists while averaging 19:41 of ice time.
The protocol means Kucherov will miss at least the next five games, ruling him out for upcoming home games against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday and the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
On Oct. 16, Kucherov got hurt chasing a puck during the third period at Washington. The high-scoring forward appeared to be injured in the groin-abdominal area.
He underwent surgery on Oct. 26 and recovered for more than 10 weeks.
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.
