With the 2021 NHL playoffs starting in one month, the looming question is whether Nikita Kucherov will be ready for the postseason (or even earlier)? After having hip surgery at the end of last year, Kucherov started skating just about a month ago and according to Jon Cooper is still on track to return once the playoffs start. Reportedly this timeline still hasn’t changed.
Yesterday Kucherov appeared at the Lightning’s morning practice, wearing a grey jersey. The color of Kucherov’s practice jersey shouldn’t encourage fans though, he wasn’t fully participating in practice and still hasn’t been cleared for contact, but took rushes with Gemel Smith and Daniel Walcott and then remained on the ice while taxi-squad members went back to the locker room.