Player Discussion: Nikita Kucherov - Part 3

[TheDaysOf 04]

https://media.nhl.com/public/live-updates?date=2024-01-23

Nikita Kucherov recorded his seventh 30-goal season and surpassed Martin St. Louis for second most in Lightning history behind Steven Stamkos (8).

Nikita Kucherov became the seventh active player to post at least seven 30-goal seasons. The others: Alex Ovechkin (17), Sidney Crosby (11), Auston Matthews (8), Steven Stamkos (8), David Pastrnak (7) and Connor McDavid (7).

Nikita Kucherov scored Tampa Bay’s third goal and became the third player in Lightning history to record 300 power-play points. The others: Steven Stamkos (409) and Martin St. Louis (300).

Nikita Kucherov’s nine multi-goal games in 2023-24 are his most in a single season (previously 8 GP in 2016-17). Only two players in franchise history have as many multi-goal games in a single season: Steven Stamkos (13 GP in 2011-12 & 11 GP in 2009-10) and Brayden Point (11 GP in 2022-23).

Nikita Kucherov recorded his 45th career multi-goal game, one shy of Vincent Lecavalier for the third most in Lightning history.

Nikita Kucherov hit the 80-point plateau in 47 games and became only the third active player to reach the mark in as many contests or fewer. He joined Connor McDavid (44 GP in 2022-23 & 46 GP in 2020-21) and Sidney Crosby (47 GP in 2006-07).

Nikita Kucherov scored his fifth career hat trick and passed Tyler Johnson for sole possession of fourth most in Lightning history.

All four of Nikita Kucherov’s four-point games have come on the road this season. The 2023-24 campaign is the second in his career in which he has registered at least four such performances following 2018-19 (5). He is one of seven players in NHL history to achieve the feat multiple times following Wayne Gretzky (9x; most: 11 in 1983-84), Mario Lemieux (6x; most: 11 in 1988-89), Peter Stastny (4x), Steve Yzerman (2x), Phil Esposito (2x) and Dale Hawerchuk (2x).

 

[Hoek]

Kucherov is one of just seven players in NHL history to achieve the feat multiple times, joining Wayne Gretzky (9x), Mario Lemieux (6x), Peter Stastny (4x), Steve Yzerman (2x), Phil Esposito (2x) and Dale Hawerchuk (2x).

 

[JoVel]

We're watching the best player in franchise history having the best season of his career. We should enjoy every second of it and not take any of it for granted.

 

[Hammerlik]

We're watching the best player in franchise history having the best season of his career. We should enjoy every second of it and not take any of it for granted.

These are the days!

 

[Stammertime91]

Crazy cause I never thought we'd see him top the 128 pt season but he looks well on his way to beating it. When you compare those teams, even if he hit 128 and nothing more, it's more impressive with this roster.

It's wild to see Kucherov passing MSL on a lot of these feats. I grew up watching Marty and he was one of my favorites all-time, so to see a guy we drafted come along and do what Kucherov is doing is special.

 

[DFC]

All time great NHLer. IMO he's entered roughly the top 50. One of the top 2 or 3 players of one of the most talented eras in history.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

These are the days!

You called for me?





Also stuff like this is legitimately why I renamed my handle to this

 

[JoVel]

You called for me?





Also stuff like this is legitimately why I renamed my handle to this

Are you gonna change it to Those Were The Days in near future...?

We may not win another Cup with this core but any season I get to watch this guy in his prime, I'll consider it a success.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Are you gonna change it to Those Were The Days in near future...?

We may not win another Cup with this core but any season I get to watch this guy in his prime, I'll consider it a success.

Nah, I'm gonna go back to AlwaysSunnyInTampa sooner than later. I'm waiting to see how bad the Rays and Bucs are going to be in the next year or so because my username was also a direct reference to their success happening at the same time as the Lightning

Edit:also TheseArentTheDaysAnymore is such a needless and lengthy username anyway. I might have to go with that. It mirrors my posting style nicely

 

[Stammertime91]

Are you gonna change it to Those Were The Days in near future...?

We may not win another Cup with this core but any season I get to watch this guy in his prime, I'll consider it a success.

By the time we nosedive, Tage and the Sabres should be on the verge of greatness.

 

[JoVel]

By the time we nosedive, Tage and the Sabres should be on the verge of greatness.

Tage Thompson will be looked at as one of NHL's biggest one hit wonders at that point.

 

[Rschmitz]

Tage Thompson will be looked at as one of NHL's biggest one hit wonders at that point.

One of, but he'll have a difficult time unseating Jordan Cheechoo for the title

 

[DFC]

Crazy cause I never thought we'd see him top the 128 pt season but he looks well on his way to beating it. When you compare those teams, even if he hit 128 and nothing more, it's more impressive with this roster.

It's wild to see Kucherov passing MSL on a lot of these feats. I grew up watching Marty and he was one of my favorites all-time, so to see a guy we drafted come along and do what Kucherov is doing is special.

A lot of players have their best seasons with weaker rosters. It puts the onus more on one guy to score. Kucherov, this year, has been playing both PP units, for instance. Double shifting more when we need a goal. He's more our "only option" than our "best option" right now, which is usually when guys put up their best numbers. It's why some players never top their career highs when they go to better teams -- better teams tend to spread the scoring out more.

 

[Rschmitz]

A lot of players have their best seasons with weaker rosters. It puts the onus more on one guy to score. Kucherov, this year, has been playing both PP units, for instance. Double shifting more when we need a goal. He's more our "only option" than our "best option" right now, which is usually when guys put up their best numbers. It's why some players never top their career highs when they go to better teams -- better teams tend to spread the scoring out more.

Taylor Hall stands out as being the most extreme case of this.

To your point, Kucherov is playing almost 22 minutes a night this year, almost 2 full minutes more than his 128 point season.

Highlights the absurdity Oil fans have made that McDavid doesn't benefit from the quality and quantity of ice time he gets since he's entered the league.

 

[Sky04]

Taylor Hall stands out as being the most extreme case of this.

To your point, Kucherov is playing almost 22 minutes a night this year, almost 2 full minutes more than his 128 point season.

Highlights the absurdity Oil fans have made that McDavid doesn't benefit from the quality and quantity of ice time he gets since he's entered the league.

Not to mention Draisaitl, a top-5 offensive player in the league as a linemate. That's like the equivalent of Point in his 2020 playoff form all the time.

 

[Chelis Chili]

* On the night teammate Victor Hedman reached the 700-point milestone, Kucherov (32-53—85 in 49 GP) potted 0-2—2 and joined MacKinnon in maintaining a 140-point pace. The 2023-24 campaign would be the first season with two 140-point players since 1995-96 when Mario Lemieux (69-92—161 in 70 GP w/ PIT) and Jaromir Jagr (62-87—149 in 82 GP w/ PIT) both did so.

* One of either Kucherov or MacKinnon, who are expected to go head-to-head on Feb. 15, has led the NHL in scoring every day since Nov. 23 when Quinn Hughes held a one-point advantage on teammate J.T. Miller and a two-point cushion on the Lightning forward.

sauce: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/17642

 

[Stammertime91]

* On the night teammate Victor Hedman reached the 700-point milestone, Kucherov (32-53—85 in 49 GP) potted 0-2—2 and joined MacKinnon in maintaining a 140-point pace. The 2023-24 campaign would be the first season with two 140-point players since 1995-96 when Mario Lemieux (69-92—161 in 70 GP w/ PIT) and Jaromir Jagr (62-87—149 in 82 GP w/ PIT) both did so.

* One of either Kucherov or MacKinnon, who are expected to go head-to-head on Feb. 15, has led the NHL in scoring every day since Nov. 23 when Quinn Hughes held a one-point advantage on teammate J.T. Miller and a two-point cushion on the Lightning forward.

sauce: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/17642

Crazy, I don't see McDavid on that list.

Must be fake

 

[LightningStrikes]

Not too surprisingly, Kuch was the 1st overall pick in the ASG draft.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[JoVel]

Didn't watch any of it, don't plan on watching, but Steve Dangle is complaining about Kucherov on Twitter so it was definitely a success.

 

[LightningStrikes]

So what did he do? Half-assed it during the skill comp from what I gather. Is that all?

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

So what did he do? Half-assed it during the skill comp from what I gather. Is that all?

Pretty much. All of a sudden people care about the skills comp.

 

[DaBolts]

So what did he do? Half-assed it during the skill comp from what I gather. Is that all?

As long as he does not get injured, I don't care if he half asses the entire weekend. Oh, and as long as the Leaves fans boo him, that's all right with me.

 

[Felonious Python]

While I'm a little disappointed that Kuch didn't try harder, just for the paying fans, the ASG is kind of half-assed anyway. No one really tries during the game, and that's seen as expected.

The league also needs to clamp down on alcohol/substance abuse surrounding their events. It makes them look bad.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

I couldn’t tell if he was hungover or if he was just isolated (only Russian skater there) but it’s not a good look. He’s already a lightning rod for hate so he’s not doing himself any favors.