Lightning’s Kucherov Has Evolved Into a Veteran Leader

Nikita Kucherov has been named an alternate captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has evolved into one of NHL's best players and a leader. He won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning after missing the entire season due to hip surgery.

Nikita Kucherov is a Russian forward. He was undersized for his age when he started playing hockey. His youth hockey coach, Gennadi Kurdin, focused on making quick and precise passes. KUCheroV played in the Kontinental Hockey League for two seasons before coming to North America to learn how to play North American hockey, which is played on a smaller ice rink and focuses on defensive-style game.

Kucherov started his NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played on the second line with Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson. They were playing together when they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. In the summer of 2017, he played with Steven Stamkos and had his first 100-point season. He is now considered one of the team's leaders. The coach, Jon Cooper, was impressed with his dedication to improve his game. It's understandable why players don't come back too early from injury. Kucherov is an elite player.

Kucherov scored 128 points in the 2018-19 season. He won the Art Ross Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and the Hart Memorial Trophy. The team won a Stanley Cup after a humiliating defeat in a first-round playoff series. In the following season, he scored 32 points and then 27 points. In three consecutive Stanley Cups, Kucherov has scored 93 points, 30 points better than the next-best player. Only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky have scored more than 90 points during three-consecutive Stanley cups.

Kucherov is one of the Lightning's leaders. He is having success on the ice but also works hard on it. So far this season, he leads the team with 31 points.