Nikita Kucherov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nikita Kucherov |
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Kucherov with the Tampa Bay Lightning in January 2014
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| Born | 17 June 1993 Maykop, Russia |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Tampa Bay Lightning CSKA Moscow |
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| National team |  Russia |
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| NHL Draft | 58th overall, 2011 Tampa Bay Lightning |
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| Playing career | 2011–present | ||
Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (Russian: Никита Игоревич Кучеров; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a right winger and is an alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning. This team is part of the National Hockey League (NHL). Many people think Kucherov is one of the best players in the world.
He has won many big awards. In the 2018–19 season, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy. This award is for the NHL's most valuable player. He also won the Art Ross Trophy for being the top scorer. Plus, he received the Ted Lindsay Award. This award is given to the best player, as voted by other NHL players.
Kucherov helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup twice. They won in 2020 and 2021. He was the top scorer in the playoffs both times. He holds the record for most points by a Russian player in one season (144). He also has many Lightning team records for playoff points, goals, and assists. Because of his many achievements, Kucherov is known as one of the best players in the NHL.
Contents
Playing Career
Junior Hockey Days
Nikita Kucherov started his hockey journey in Russia. He played for Krasnaya Armiya. This was the junior team for CSKA Moscow. He spent three seasons there, starting in 2009–10. During this time, he also played a few games in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). This is a professional league in Europe and Asia.
In 2011, the Tampa Bay Lightning picked him in the NHL draft. He was the 58th player chosen overall. To get ready for North American hockey, Kucherov played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He signed his first NHL contract with the Lightning in September 2012.
Joining the Lightning
Kucherov played his first NHL game on 25 November 2013. He scored a goal on his very first shot! This happened against the New York Rangers and their goalie, Henrik Lundqvist. He was the seventh player in Lightning history to score in his first NHL game.
His first full season, 2013–14, saw him play 52 games. He scored nine goals and had nine assists. He also played in his first playoff game in 2014. He scored his first playoff goal against the Montreal Canadiens.
The "Triplets" Line
The 2014–15 season was a big year for Kucherov. He had a fantastic season. He played on a special line with Tyler Johnson and Ondřej Palát. Their coach called them the "Triplets" line.
On 28 October 2014, he scored his first career hat trick. This means he scored three goals in one game. He played in all 82 games that season. He ended with 29 goals, 36 assists, and 65 points. He also tied for the best plus-minus rating in the NHL. This means he was on the ice for many more goals scored by his team than by the other team.
The "Triplets" line was very strong in the 2015 playoffs. Kucherov scored two game-winning goals in overtime. The Lightning reached the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. They played against the Chicago Blackhawks but lost in six games. Kucherov finished the playoffs with 10 goals and 12 assists.
Becoming a Star
In the 2015–16 season, Kucherov continued to shine. He led the team with 66 points. He also scored a new career-high of 30 goals. He played most of the season on the top line with Alex Killorn and captain Steven Stamkos.
The Lightning made it to the Eastern Conference Finals again in 2016. They lost in seven games to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kucherov led his team in goals and points during those playoffs.
On 11 October 2016, Kucherov signed a new contract with the Lightning. He kept getting better and better. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game in 2017. He scored his 100th NHL goal on 18 March 2017. He also had two hat tricks in the 2016–17 season. He scored 40 goals that season, a new personal best. Only a few Lightning players had ever scored 40 goals in a season before him.
The 2017–18 season was another amazing year. Kucherov started the season by scoring a goal in seven straight games. This is a very rare achievement in the NHL. He also had a point in 11 games in a row. He finished the season with 100 points (39 goals, 61 assists). This was his first time reaching 100 points in a season.
In the 2018 playoffs, Kucherov set a new team record. He had 10 points in a single playoff series. The Lightning made it to the Eastern Conference Finals again. They lost to the Washington Capitals.
On 10 July 2018, Kucherov signed a long-term contract with the Lightning. In the 2018–19 season, he broke many records. He set a Lightning record for most assists (70) in a season. He then broke the team record for most points in a season with 109 points. He also became the first player since 2010 to get 80 assists in a season.
Kucherov finished the 2018–19 season with an incredible 128 points. He had 41 goals and 87 assists. This was the most points ever by a Russian-born player in one season. He also tied for the most assists by a winger in a single NHL season. He won the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in points. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award for being the league's most valuable player.
In the 2019–20 season, Kucherov reached more milestones. He scored his 200th goal and recorded his 300th assist. He also played his 500th NHL game. In the 2020 playoffs, he led the league in points (34) and assists (27). He helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup by defeating the Dallas Stars.
Kucherov missed the entire 2020–21 season due to hip surgery. But he came back strong for the 2021 playoffs. He led the league in scoring again with 32 points. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row!
In the 2021–22 season, Kucherov had a groin injury. He missed 32 games but returned in January 2022. He scored his fourth career hat trick in his return game. He also recorded his 100th playoff assist in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. The Lightning lost the finals that year.
Kucherov became an alternate captain for the 2022–23 season. He reached his 400th assist milestone in December 2022. He finished that season with 113 points.
On 27 December 2023, Kucherov scored his 300th NHL goal. On 18 January 2024, he recorded his 500th NHL assist. He also got his fifth career hat trick in January 2024. On 17 April 2024, Kucherov reached 100 assists in the 2023–24 season. He was the first winger and only the fifth player in NHL history to do this. He finished the season with a career-high 144 points. This earned him his second Art Ross Trophy. He was also chosen for the NHL's First All-Star team.
On 18 January 2025, Kucherov recorded his 600th career assist. He became only the second Lightning player to reach this milestone.
International Games
Kucherov has played for the Russian national junior team many times. He won a silver medal at the 2012 World Junior Championships. He also won a bronze medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships.
In 2016, he joined the Russian national team. He played in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He also played in the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. Russia won bronze medals in both of those tournaments.
Off the Ice
Nikita Kucherov was born in Maykop, Russia. His family moved to Moscow when he was young. His mother worked at a hockey rink, which is how he started playing the sport.
Kucherov is married to Anastasiya. They have a son together. His father, Igor, is a Colonel in the Russian Army.
Career Stats and Awards
Career Statistics
Bold indicates led league
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2009–10 | Krasnaya Armiya | MHL | 53 | 29 | 25 | 54 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | Krasnaya Armiya | MHL | 47 | 27 | 31 | 58 | 81 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 16 | ||
| 2010–11 | CSKA Moscow | KHL | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Krasnaya Armiya | MHL | 23 | 24 | 19 | 43 | 40 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | CSKA Moscow | KHL | 18 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Quebec Remparts | QMJHL | 6 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | QMJHL | 27 | 26 | 27 | 53 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 10 | ||
| 2013–14 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 17 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 52 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 29 | 36 | 65 | 37 | 26 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 14 | ||
| 2015–16 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 77 | 30 | 36 | 66 | 30 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 8 | ||
| 2016–17 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 74 | 40 | 45 | 85 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 80 | 39 | 61 | 100 | 42 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 10 | ||
| 2018–19 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 41 | 87 | 128 | 62 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 19 | ||
| 2019–20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 68 | 33 | 52 | 85 | 38 | 25 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 22 | ||
| 2020–21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 8 | 24 | 32 | 14 | ||
| 2021–22 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 47 | 25 | 44 | 69 | 22 | 23 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 14 | ||
| 2022–23 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 30 | 83 | 113 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 11 | ||
| 2023–24 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 81 | 44 | 100 | 144 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2 | ||
| KHL totals | 27 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 725 | 320 | 553 | 873 | 341 | 147 | 53 | 114 | 167 | 114 | ||||
International Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Russia | IH18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2011 | Russia | U18 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 6 | |
| 2012 | Russia | WJC | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2013 | Russia | WJC | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2016 | Russia | WCH | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2017 | Russia | WC | 10 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 8 | |
| 2019 | Russia | WC | 10 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 25 | 19 | 19 | 38 | 14 | |||
| Senior totals | 24 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 12 | |||
Awards and Honors
Nikita Kucherov has won many awards throughout his career:
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| MHL | ||
| All-Star Game | 2011 | |
| NHL | ||
| NHL All-Star Game | 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 | |
| NHL first All-Star team | 2018, 2019, 2024 | |
| NHL second All-Star team | 2017, 2020 | |
| Art Ross Trophy | 2019, 2024 | |
| Ted Lindsay Award | 2019 | |
| Hart Memorial Trophy | 2019 | |
| Stanley Cup champion | 2020, 2021 | |
| International | ||
| U18 First Team All-Star | 2011 | |
| Kharlamov Trophy | 2019 | |
Amazing Records
Nikita Kucherov holds several impressive records:
- Most assists in a single season by a winger in NHL history: 100 (in 2023–24)
- Most points in a single season by a Russian-born player: 144 (in 2023–24)
He also holds many records for the Tampa Bay Lightning team:
- Most Playoff Points: 167
- Most Playoff Goals: 53
- Most Playoff Assists: 114
- Most points in a single season: 144 (in 2023–24)
- Most assists in a single season: 100 (in 2023–24)
- Most points in a single playoff season: 34 (in 2019–20)
- Most assists in a single playoff season: 27 (in 2019–20)
- Most points in a single calendar month: 30 (in 2018–19)
- Most assists in a single calendar month: 21 (in 2018–19)
- Most consecutive games with a point to start a season: 11 (in 2017–18)
- Most consecutive games with a goal to start a season: 7 (in 2017–18)
International Play Medals
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Russia |
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| World Championships | ||
| Bronze | 2017 Germany/France | |
| Bronze | 2019 Slovakia | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Silver | 2012 Canada | |
| Bronze | 2013 Ufa | |
| World U18 Championships | ||
| Bronze | 2011 Germany | |
