Nikita Kucherov is the clear favorite for the Art Ross Trophy

[olli]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;[He&#39;s] the most prepared player in terms of how he prepares his mind, body, and game... he&#39;s three steps ahead...&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/TBLightning?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@TBLightning</a> head coach Jon Cooper on what he&#39;s learned from coaching Nikita Kucherov over the years with <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffMarek?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@JeffMarek</a>. <a href="https://t.co/jLlvBGUR76">pic.twitter.com/jLlvBGUR76</a></p>&mdash; Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) <a href="">March 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[bambamcam4ever]

View attachment 846310

Nice 2-minute shift out there with the empty net in a 6-4 game vs MTL

What a shame this is how the Art Ross will get decided.

This is why people need to look deeper than just point totals. What a joke.

 

[The Macho King]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;[He&#39;s] the most prepared player in terms of how he prepares his mind, body, and game... he&#39;s three steps ahead...&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/TBLightning?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@TBLightning</a> head coach Jon Cooper on what he&#39;s learned from coaching Nikita Kucherov over the years with <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffMarek?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@JeffMarek</a>. <a href="https://t.co/jLlvBGUR76">pic.twitter.com/jLlvBGUR76</a></p>&mdash; Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) <a href="">March 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I know you think you're helping by posting actual content in here, but if you're not calling him an empty net merchant you're not welcome.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

I like when kuch scores empty net goals by cherry picking because then my team wins and I feel good and then I come in here and other people post about feeling bad and that also makes me feel good.

 

[DFC]

I feel like we talk this thing into a circle. None of these guys are doing this on their own. Kucherov has the AR lead because he has more assists than MacKinnon. He got those assists because Point and Stamkos put the puck in the net. We can argue about whether it was Kucherov's excellent passing or Stamkos/Point's excellent scoring that got them a handful more goals than MacKinnon's teammates, but there's not going to be any resolution. It's probably a bit of both.

Kucherov might be the reason the Lightning hit 100 points, but MacKinnon is the reason the Avs could hit 110. With our hit and miss goaltending, Makar likely playing through injury, Nichushkin missing significant time, Landeskog missing all of it, we're probably just a bubble team if it was just the Rantanen show. There's pretty significant value in MacKinnon turning us into a cup contender.

Honestly, Kucherov was coming pretty close to doing it on his own. Neither of the guys you mentioned would have totals anywhere near where they are at without Kucherov being a damn wizard. Stamkos and Point have both raised their game since since the TDL, but before that, Kucherov was floating everybody.

 

[Dust]

Well 2 points for McDavid, 1 for Mackinnon tonight tightens things back up a bit.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Well 2 points for McDavid, 1 for Mackinnon tonight tightens things back up a bit.

4 points behind mack. 6 behind kuch

 

[Senor Catface]

4 points behind mack. 6 behind kuch

Oh no, only 128 points.

 

[Montreal Shadow]

I think we have to go back to 92-93 for the last time the top 3 had 130pts or more.

 

[WalterLundy]

I think we have to go back to 92-93 for the last time the top 3 had 130pts or more.

The top 3 this year are also all in the top 10 for single season points per game in the last 30 (since 1993-94). This holds true for raw totals and when era adjusted. Incredible.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

McDavid gonna run out of games to win, he got close but just couldn't have that one big 4-5 point game when he caught up

 

[Signupnow]

Yall say he is selfish but his stat padding as you call it means he score goals and goals win games. Suck it up kush gonna do what he do. And he piss on the other two come playoffs too.

 

[DFC]

Yall say he is selfish but his stat padding as you call it means he score goals and goals win games. Suck it up kush gonna do what he do. And he piss on the other two come playoffs too.

Some of the assists he has in EN situations are coming off good defensive plays.

I've said this before, but Kucherov's defense is hard to assess, because he's actually pretty good in the defensive zone. It's his occasionally ill-advised attempts to create offense that cause problems.

TB was pretty awful at scoring in empty net situations until Cooper starting using Kucherov more often. I don't think that's a coincidence. He's really good at coming up with pucks that he shouldn't be able to come up with.

 

[olli]

McDavid gonna run out of games to win, he got close but just couldn't have that one big 4-5 point game when he caught up

He still has a chance. I hope he gets 9 more goals for 40 and at least 3 more assists for 100 of course.

 

[olli]

Some of the assists he has in EN situations are coming off good defensive plays.

I've said this before, but Kucherov's defense is hard to assess, because he's actually pretty good in the defensive zone. It's his occasionally ill-advised attempts to create offense that cause problems.

TB was pretty awful at scoring in empty net situations until Cooper starting using Kucherov more often. I don't think that's a coincidence. He's really good at coming up with pucks that he shouldn't be able to come up with.

I don’t know why people are surprised that a guy with the hands ability to anticipate plays is good at stripping pucks and creating empty net chances. And why is that considered a reason he shouldn’t be getting as much credit as he gets?? Just another thing he’s elite at that creates points and more importantly secures wins for his team.

 

[Sky04]

Tampa is still a stacked team when healthy. Kucherov gets all the points but the team is carried by Vasilevsky. It's no coincidence that Tampa is hot now that he's fully healthy. That being said him and Mackinnon fully deserve the Hart this season for what they're doing.

I'm obviously an Oiler fan but i don't think Mcdavid has put the team on his back this year compared to previous seasons. Maybe the standards for him are to high but it just seems like a good year for Mcdavid, not a great one while Mackinnon and Kucherov are having the best regular season of their careers.

lol this team is soundly in the playoffs with Vasilevsky missing the first 2 months of the season and posting sub .900 numbers the following 4 months. How does that logic make any sense? The reason Tampa is even relevant right now is because of their 133 point player who's accounts for 50% of the offense keeping them in games night in and out.

To that point, Colorado is proof goaltending means shit. It's the most overrated part of the game right now, Tampa being in the position they are now while allowing Vasilevskiy 4 months to "find his game" just adds to that, imagine Kucherov, McDavid or Mackinnon spending 4 months playing at 0.5 PPG pace and lets see the impact on their teams.

 

[Coffey]

Calgary tomorrow. McDavid could be over 140pts when that game is said and done.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Yall say he is selfish but his stat padding as you call it means he score goals and goals win games. Suck it up kush gonna do what he do. And he piss on the other two come playoffs too.

And if things dont go his way, he can always scream at the equipment manager and pout.

But hey, at least he's not being LTIRed this year, right?

 

[Satire]

lol this team is soundly in the playoffs with Vasilevsky missing the first 2 months of the season and posting sub .900 numbers the following 4 months. How does that logic make any sense? The reason Tampa is even relevant right now is because of their 133 point player who's accounts for 50% of the offense keeping them in games night in and out.

To that point, Colorado is proof goaltending means shit. It's the most overrated part of the game right now, Tampa being in the position they are now while allowing Vasilevskiy 4 months to "find his game" just adds to that, imagine Kucherov, McDavid or Mackinnon spending 4 months playing at 0.5 PPG pace and lets see the impact on their teams.

Agree - Kuch is a huge reason why TBL are comfortably in the playoffs right now. That being said, Goaltending in the regular season and goaltending in the playoffs are very different things. A hot goaltender can absolutely steal a series or two in the playoffs, let along someone like Vasi who is undeniable one of the 3 best goaltenders in this league when he is on his game. Anyone taking TBL lightly is going to be in for a suprise.

 

[Bob and 200 others]

And if things dont go his way, he can always scream at the equipment manager and pout.

But hey, at least he's not being LTIRed this year, right?

Never heard news of Kuch screaming at the equipment manager. Your boy chewing out fellow teammates (grown ass men) for eating a hamburger instead of his chickpeapasta concoctions on the other hand...

 

[daver]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;[He&#39;s] the most prepared player in terms of how he prepares his mind, body, and game... he&#39;s three steps ahead...&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/TBLightning?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@TBLightning</a> head coach Jon Cooper on what he&#39;s learned from coaching Nikita Kucherov over the years with <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffMarek?ref_src=twsrc^tfw">@JeffMarek</a>. <a href="https://t.co/jLlvBGUR76">pic.twitter.com/jLlvBGUR76</a></p>&mdash; Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) <a href="">March 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Fake news until we hear from Kucherov's mom.

 

[daver]

daver has spoken!!

......sarcastically. I know, I know, sarcasm doesn't go over very well on the main boards.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Never heard news of Kuch screaming at the equipment manager. Your boy chewing out fellow teammates (grown ass men) for eating a hamburger instead of his chickpeapasta concoctions on the other hand...

Kucherov doesn’t need to scream at teammates. His teammates have proven they can practically win without him. #LTIR.

 

[gimzo23]

The height of the DPE was 2003-4, not 96/97.

When did I talk about 96/97? I was talking about 98/99 with Jagr's 127 point season and 00/01 with Lemieux's comeback. Both of which were extremely low scoring seasons league wide obviously

 

[Bank Shot]

NHL #30 C points: 62
NHL #30 LW points: 45
NHL #30 RW points: 42

You do get more points by simply playing at C. This is obvious with any basic logic. Just think about how a game of hockey is played and how the puck is expected to move.

In theory I agree with you. A center should get more touches which should result in more points.

Canada funnels all their best players to center though which probably skews the data quite a bit.