Nikita Kucherov

Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (Никита Игоревич Кучеров; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Kucherov played for Krasnaya Armiya of the Russian Junior Hockey League, the junior team of CSKA Moscow starting in the 2009–10.

He spent three seasons with the team, and made his professional debut in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) during this time, playing 27 KHL games over the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons.

In the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected 58th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In an attempt to transition to the North American style, Kucherov played major junior hockey with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

He signed a three-year entry level contract with the Lightning on 10 September 2012 while playing in the QMJHL.

Kucherov made his NHL debut on 25 November 2013 against the New York Rangers.

He scored a goal on his first shot, on his first shift, against Henrik Lundqvist; he was the seventh player in Lightning history to score a goal in his NHL debut.

On 23 December 2013, Kucherov recorded his first NHL assist on a goal by J. T. Brown.

His rookie season, would end with Kucherov playing 52 games with 9 goals and 9 assists.

Kucherov made his playoff debut against the Montreal Canadiens on 16 April 2014, where he would score his first career playoff goal.

During the 2014–15 season, Kucherov had a breakout season with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Playing on a line with Tyler Johnson and Ondřej Palát (later dubbed the "Triplets" line).

On 28 October 2014, he recorded his first career hat trick in a game against the Arizona Coyotes.

Kucherov played in all 82 games of the regular season, posting 29 goals, 36 assists, and 65 points.

Kucherov also tied for the NHL lead in plus-minus with Max Pacioretty at a +38 rating.

The +38 rating also set the Lightning single season franchise record for +/- rating.

On 20 May 2015, Kucherov joined Martin St. Louis as the only players in Lightning history to record two game-winning goals in overtime in a single playoff year, having scored a winner that evening against the New York Rangers; he had scored one in Game 1 of the prior round against the Montreal Canadiens.

Kucherov and the Triplets would prove to be one of the most dangerous lines in hockey during Tampa Bay's run to the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals, in which they would lose to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.

During the run, Kucherov scored 10 goals and 22 points.

In the 2015–16 season, Kucherov led the team in points (66) and was second in assists (36) and goals (30), playing in 77 games.

Kucherov also set a career high in goals, points, power-play goals (9) and game-winning goals (4).

He also ranked second on the team in shots (209) and power-play goals, while also leading the team with 19 multi-point games.

He also skated in all 17 Stanley Cup playoff games with the Lightning last season, coming just one win short from back to back Stanley Cup Finals, scoring 11 goals, 8 assists and 19 points to go along with a +13 rating.

He led the team during the playoffs in goals and points.

He also finished second for goals and sixth for points in playoff scoring.

On 11 October 2016, the Lightning re-signed Kucherov to a three-year, $14.3 million contract.

On 29 December 2016, Kucherov recorded his 100th assist on a goal by Ondřej Palát in a 3–2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

On 10 January 2017, Kucherov was named to the 2017 NHL All-Star game as a member of the Atlantic Division team.

On 21 February 2017, Kucherov recorded his 200th career NHL point with an assist on a goal by Ondřej Palát.

On 27 February 2017, Kucherov recorded his second career hat-trick, which was the 10th natural hat-trick in Lightning history.

It was also the first ever in team history to have all three goals scored during the power plays.

On 18 March 2017, Kucherov recorded his 100th career NHL goal in a 5-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on goaltender Braden Holtby.

On 23 March 2017, Kucherov also recorded his second hat trick in less than a month apart from his first in the 2016–17 season.

This also became his third hat trick in his NHL career.

On 27 March 2017, Kucherov had two assists, setting a Lightning record for most points in a single month with 22.

On 7 April 2017, Kucherov scored his 40th goal of the season, setting a new career high.

Regarded as one of the best players in the world, Kucherov won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer and the Ted Lindsay Award as the best player voted by fellow NHL players, for the 2018–19 season.

Kucherov won the Stanley Cup twice with the Lightning, in 2020 and 2021, leading the playoffs in scoring both times.

Kucherov holds the record for most points by a Russian-born player in a single season (128), as well as Lightning franchise playoff records for most points, most goals and most assists.