TAMPA — When it comes to the wonder of Nikita Kucherov, you may begin wherever you wish.
The stickhandling. The on-ice vision. The relentless studying. The idea that of the hundreds of players in NHL history who have appeared in at least 120 postseason games, only four have averaged more points per game than Kucherov.
But for today’s conversation, we’ll simply begin with the names.
Nine recognizable names across multiple generations. Nine players who have won at least three Art Ross trophies as the NHL’s points champion. This week, Kucherov joins the club as No. 10.
Wayne Gretzky.
Gordie Howe.
Mario Lemieux.
His star has shone above Tampa Bay’s skyline for more than a decade now, but I’m not sure it always has generated the proper appreciation. Maybe that’s because he’s played alongside current and future Hall of Famers such as Marty St. Louis, Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. Maybe it’s because his personality — at least publicly — is somewhat standoffish.
Or maybe it’s because he doesn’t skate as fast as some, doesn’t have a rocket shot like a lot of big scorers and didn’t arrive as a can’t-miss prospect. Instead, his greatness is based more on his mastery of the game than the physical gifts he brings to the ice.
“For how talented he is, the amount of work he puts in is incredible,” said linemate Brayden Point. “That’s why he’s able to make the plays he can. Yeah, some of it is natural talent. But his skills are incredible. And he sees the ice better than anyone, which is something that’s hard to teach.
“He knows where every guy is, he sees passing lanes that not everyone sees. He understands his own body and how to get around or beat guys. It’s really just an amazing hockey IQ. He’s so dynamic, and he plays that way so consistently.”
Phil Esposito.
Jaromir Jagr.
Connor McDavid.
Since 2015, Kucherov has got more points than Alex Ovechkin, more goals than Nathan MacKinnon and a better plus/minus ratio than Sidney Crosby. In other words, he stands shoulder to shoulder with the greatest players of his generation even if he doesn’t get the commercials, billboards or instant recognition of some of his peers.
Ask him about his growing prominence in NHL history, and Kucherov responds mostly with humility. But also with a slight acknowledgement that his profile might be lower than his numbers would suggest.
“I didn’t know that,” he said, when told that he was only the 10th player with three points titles. “Obviously, it’s a big honor to just win it once, right? Three times? I never thought that would happen. But, you know, it’s a full team effort, so I need to thank my teammates. I’ve played with some great players. And I need to thank the coaching staff for having trust in me and putting me in a position where I can succeed.
“When I first got in the league, I was an unknown player. A fourth-liner my first year. And I learned, to be successful in this league, you’ve got to work hard. Maybe extra hard learning the game. And that’s what I did. People don’t remember that I wasn’t a first round guy, a first-round pick. I was never in the spotlight, just always in the shade. Nobody respected me then. Still, to this day, some barely respect me.
“Doesn’t bother me. Just tells me I’ve got to keep working hard.”
The observation comes across more matter-of-fact than bitter. And it comes with some evidence to back it up.
When the Lightning won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles, Kucherov led the NHL in postseason points both years. And yet the Conn Smythe went to Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy. And while contemporaries such as McDavid, Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have won multiple Hart trophies as league MVP, Kucherov has only one win and one other top-5 finish.
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