Lightning's Brayden Point Could Miss Significant Time
Point played six shifts totalling 5:35 of ice time and had two shots before heading to the room with a little over six minutes left in the first. The Lightning ruled him out for the rest of the night with an undisclosed injury.
Head coach Jon Cooper didn’t offer much detail after the game, but what he did say wasn’t encouraging.
“You saw he couldn’t come back, so hopefully it’s not too serious, but unfortunately he might miss some time,” Cooper said.
Point’s last shift lasted 34 seconds during a Lightning rush, and he went off on a line change while the puck was still in the Winnipeg zone. He’d looked like himself on his shift about two minutes earlier.
Point Off To A Strong Start
Point had five goals and 11 assists for 16 points through 17 games, fourth on the team, and looked back to his usual form after injuries slowed him down last season.
He’s one of the most decorated players in franchise history, with 329 goals and 701 points in 736 games, all with Tampa Bay. That includes four 40-goal seasons and a career-high 51 goals in 2022-23.
Jon Cooper on Brayden Point, who left the game in the first period and did not return: “Hopefully, it is not too serious but, unfortunately, he may miss some time”
— Gabby Shirley (@Gabby_Shirley_) November 9, 2026
His best work has come in the spring. Point led the NHL in playoff goals in both 2020 and 2021 as the Lightning won back-to-back Stanley Cups, and he has 90 points in 99 career playoff games.
The 30-year-old is in the fifth year of an eight-year, $76 million contract he signed in July 2021, which carries a $9.5 million cap hit through 2029-30.
Lightning Already Dealing With Kucherov Drama
The timing couldn’t be much worse for Tampa Bay, which is already dealing with Nikita Kucherov’s trade request.
Kucherov, Point’s longtime linemate, told the Lightning on October 30 that he won’t re-sign and wants to be traded. He later said the decision was more about “poor communication and respect” than money.
GM Julien BriseBois responded that the team “unequivocally” has no intention of trading him, and Kucherov has kept producing, leading the Lightning in scoring.
Brayden Point hasn't taken a shift since the 13:44 mark of the 1st period. Here's his last shift⬇️🎥
— Bolts Breakdown (@BoltsBreakdown) November 9, 2026
Even with all of that going on, Tampa Bay has kept winning and sits at 11-4-2. Sunday’s loss came on a power-play goal by Mark Scheifele with 1.6 seconds left, after the Lightning had battled back from a 3-0 hole late in the third period.
Cooper pointed to a brutal stretch as part of the story, noting it was the second game in less than 24 hours with travel, and that his players didn’t get to bed until 3 a.m. the night before.
The Lightning welcomed Yanni Gourde back from injury in Sunday’s game, only to lose Point a few minutes later. Tampa Bay’s next game is Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres.
