The Tampa Bay Lightning will get some major reinforcements to the lineup card against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh and starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy are both expected to return for Tampa Bay after extended absences, head coach Jon Cooper confirmed prior to puck drop on Thursday.
McDonagh has missed the previous 18 games with a lower-body injury. He was activated from injured reserve on Thursday afternoon after practicing with the team for about the last week.
"You have ups and downs for sure,” McDonagh said of his recovery after Wednesday’s practice. "Some days you think you're really turning the corner, and then some days you think it's going to be another year or so until you get back (laughs). But I'm feeling good and I’m really happy with where I'm at here and progressing each and every day.”
McDonagh said his biggest roadblock to a return was getting back to full speed and being patient with the process. That was helped by seeing his team go 11-7-1 for 23 standings points—eighth-most in the NHL—since his injury on Nov. 8, a time in which the team has also played games without captain Victor Hedman and McDonagh’s frequent defensive partner, Erik Cernak.
"It's been incredible to watch,” McDonagh said of the Lightning overcoming injuries. “Obviously when a guy goes down, you always say, ‘Next man up’, but it's been one after the other for us as far as guys going down. So we've needed everybody to step up and play well, and they have. It’s been fun to see guys really grow as individuals and more importantly, our team, grow.”
McDonagh won’t be the only player making their return on Thursday, as Vasilevskiy is expected to see his first start since Dec. 2.
He has missed the team’s previous six games with an undisclosed injury.
The 31-year-old goalie’s 11 wins tie him for 14th in the NHL this season, and his .930 save percentage since Nov. 1 ranks fourth among all NHL netminders with at least three starts.
His 467 saves this season put him inside the top 20 for the 2025-26 season.
Lightning forward Brandon Hagel will not play on Thursday and is day-to-day with an upper body injury.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at Benchmark International Arena.
