Nikita Kucherov is amazing, and today is a big day for him. Kucherov was voted best playmaker by the National Hockey League Players Association(NHLPA) today, and he will win the Art Ross trophy as the highest point-getter in the NHL. It is not too surprising. Nikita Kuchovrov has been the best player in the NHL this season. The Tampa Bay Lightning have an embarrassment of riches. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov were named the best in two voting categories today. Vasilevskiy was voted “Best Overall Goalie,” while Nikita Kucherov was voted “Best Playmaker.” Do you think the Lightning will win the Stanley Cup this season?
Niketa Kucherov Named Best Player by NHLPA
Kucherov of the Tampa Lightning garnered 48% of the vote compared to runner-up Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who received 20%. Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy last season, where the winner has the most points in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is likely to win again this season. Nikita Kucherov received 304 votes in the Players’ Association poll. Just under half of all players selected him.
In the voting, the 31-year-old Nikita Kucherov was also runner-up in the “Smartest Overall Player” category and received the third most votes in the “Best Overall Forward” category. So, he did well in the voting, as did the Tampa Bay Lightning. In the best overall forward, Nikita Kucherov finished third to Conor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. Regarding the smartest player, Kucherov finished second to the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby.
As mentioned above, Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy won the best goaltender in the NHL voting. Fellow Russian Igor Shesterkin finished second in the voting. Victor Hedman was also voted the third-best defenseman. The Lightning did very well, with three players finishing in the top five in four different categories.
Art Ross Trophy Race in the NHL
Nikita Kucherov was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week from March 24-30. He led the NHL with three goals and 11 points in three games. He scored a goal and notched two assists, his 13th three-point performance of the campaign, in a 6-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 25. He then registered consecutive four-point games for the sixth time in his career, scoring a goal and getting three assists in both an 8-0 triumph versus. The Utah Hockey Club on March 27 and a 5-3 win over the New York Islanders on March 29.
With the three-point effort against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, April 13, Nikita Kucherov took sole possession of the NHL lead in points with 119 (36 goals, 83 assists). Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche’s regular season is over with 116 points, and the next two closest players are more than 10 points back.
The regular season is probably too large a deficit to overcome this late in the season. Once official, this will be Kucherov’s third time winning the Art Ross Trophy.The Lightning will finish the regular season on April 17 against the New York Rangers and will face the Florida Panthers in the first round of the playoffs, the NHL’s second season.
Conclusion
This season’s NHLPA awards have been good for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikita Kucherov won two categories, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was voted the top goaltender. Victor Hedman was named the top goaltender, just like last year. Nikita Kucherov was voted the best playmaking forward last season as well. Last season’s accomplishment was among a boatload of awards for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikita Kucherov probably has an insurmountable lead in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.
