The Tampa Bay Lightning have been plagued by injuries lately - something that’s nearly inevitable for any team in a physically demanding sport like hockey. Unfortunately, the injury bug has taken down several key players, including Mitch Chaffee, Nick Paul (who had been providing solid depth scoring with 13 points in his first 17 games), star center Brayden Point (who missed three games but has since returned), and, of course, one of the league's best in Nikita Kucherov.
The news about Kucherov came unexpectedly on Saturday evening, just before the Bolts' game - and eventual loss - against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kucherov, who had played every game this season, was injured during last Thursday’s matchup against the Nashville Predators. In that game he didn’t play the entire second period, but he returned for the final frame, and all seemed well. But unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Kucherov didn't play in the game against Toronto and is now listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. It's not the news Lightning fans wanted to hear, but there may be some hope on the horizon for the injury-ravaged team.
32-year-old Conor Sheary was recalled from the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday after news broke of Kucherov’s absence. Sheary saw 12 minutes of ice time in the loss to the Leafs, but he has since been re-assigned to Syracuse. Typically, such a move suggests that someone is nearing a return to the lineup. Both Nick Paul, who has missed six games with a lower-body injury, and Mitch Chaffee, who has missed three games with an undisclosed injury, were seen participating in Saturday’s optional morning skate, according to NHL reporter Diandra Loux. For a team that has struggled with depth scoring, getting one of these key players back could prove to be crucial.
Of course, there’s always the possibility that Sheary was simply sent back to the AHL to stay sharp and play in the Crunch’s game against the Laval Rocket. But we’ll know more when that game takes place on Wednesday night. For now, I'm choosing to stay optimistic and believe that one of these three key pieces will be back in the lineup when the Lightning face the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.