Nikita Kucherov was not in the lineup for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amalie Arena. In Friday's 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators, Kucherov did not play in the second period but returned for the third.

After Hedman passed Marty St. Louis (588) as the Lightning’s all-time assist leader, he joked that his record would be short-lived. Kucherov stands just 15 behind him with 575 in 747 career games, compared to Hedman’s 590 in 1,075.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov will not be in the lineup for the club’s matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is certainly a tough blow for the Lightning, as Kucherov is their top forward, and the Maple Leafs are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference so far this season.