Point to make season debut vs. Maple Leafs

Tampa Bay Lightning pivot Brayden Point will make his season debut in Thursday night's matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs, head coach Jon Cooper confirmed to reporters.

Point was expected to be out until late October after undergoing offseason hip surgery. He recently practiced on a line with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov and skated with the Bolts' top power-play unit.

The 23-year-old had the best season of his young career in 2018-19, registering a career-high 41 goals and 92 points in 79 games. Point's impressive production earned him a three-year, $20.5-million contract in September.

Point's return is a welcome sight for the Lightning, who are coming off back-to-back losses that prompted Stamkos to publicly call for major changes to the team's style of play.

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