The Tampa Bay Lightning have lost one of the best players in the NHL to injury.

Nikita Kucherov was ruled out in the third period of Tampa’s game against the Washington Capitals with an injury, the team announced Saturday.

Kucherov was shaken up on a hit by Tom Wilson that knocked him into the referee in the second period.

The two-time reigning (and three-time overall) Art Ross Trophy winner, Kucherov, has nine goals and 12 assists in 19 games this season.

The 32-year-old Russian won the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP in 2018-19.

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