As the 2024-25 NHL regular season nears its end, we’re taking a look at Tampa Bay Lightning players who could—and should—be considered for 2025 NHL Awards.
The Lightning take on the Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m. on Friday as they continue their chase for the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
Plenty of players have helped make that possible, but here are some notable Bolts numbers and performances to consider for hardware:
Nikita Kucherov – Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy is handed out each season to the player deemed most valuable to their team, and Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov has plenty of numbers to show just how important he’s been.
Let’s start with the big number, 116 points. Kucherov has continued to stack up points this season, his third consecutive campaign of 100-plus points. The 31-year-old winger is tied with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon atop the NHL scoring race despite playing five fewer games.
Kucherov’s 1.57 points-per-game ratio leads all NHL players, and his 58 points at 5-on-5 are second-most by any player.
His +30 rating for 5-on-5 plus-minus is tied for fourth-best in the NHL this season, trailing only teammate Jake Guentzel (+32) as well as Columbus forward Kirill Marchenko (+31) and Washington’s Pierre-Luc Dubois (+31).
The forward leads Tampa Bay in scoring and is 21 points ahead of second-leading scorer Brandon Hagel (85 points), who would lead 22 other NHL teams in scoring. Kucherov leads the NHL in road scoring with 59 points, two ahead of Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl and 11 ahead of Nathan MacKinnon (COL), David Pastrnak (BOS) and Mitch Marner (TOR).
After winning the Art Ross Trophy as last year’s leading scorer, Kucherov has remained on his heater this season. He became the first player in 23 years to post three consecutive 80-plus seasons, joining Hockey Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey.
The offense hasn’t cooled off on special teams this season for Kucherov, either—his 44 power-play points lead the NHL and are six clear of MacKinnon. Kucherov has factored on 75.9% of the Lightning’s power-play goals this season.
Long story short, it's been another MVP-caliber season for Kucherov.
Brayden Point – Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
He’s a good player and a good guy. That’s Brayden Point’s season in a nutshell.
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is awarded each season to the NHL player who “best demonstrates sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct, combined with a high standard of playing ability.”
Check the boxes for Point.
Just look at his 41 goals—sixth-most in the NHL—and 79 points in 73 games, and then consider he has only one minor penalty all season.
Point, who is a top-six goal scorer and top-25 scorer overall this season, has the second most points of any NHL player with seven penalty minutes or less in 2024-25.
His 16 power-play goals are tied for most in the NHL, and the 29-year-old center is the only player in the league this season to score 30 goals and have eight or fewer penalty minutes.
Victor Hedman — James Norris Memorial Trophy
Tampa Bay’s first-year captain has led the Lightning in ice time, and he’s among the best in NHL defenders yet again in those heavy minutes.
His consideration is for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, given to the league’s defenseman who shows the best “all-around” ability.
Hedman does it all for Tampa Bay. His 15 goals (T-8th) and 63 points (7th) both rank in the top 10 among NHL defensemen entering Friday's games, and his 25 points on the power play are tied for fifth.
Hedman’s hardest shot this season was clocked at 98.97 mph, also the fastest of the top 10 scorers.
For an award that’s about both offense and defense, Hedman has impressive numbers in the defensive end, too.
Among the NHL’s top-10 scoring defensemen, Hedman ranks second in goals for percentage (59.63%) and fourth in goals for per 60 minutes played (2.99). His goals against per 60 (2.02) and plus-minus (+18) are both second-best among the top 10.
He averages 4.37 blocked shots per 60 minutes, a number that leads the league’s top-10 scoring defensemen.
Andrei Vasilevskiy — Vezina Trophy
Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has been busy this season, and he’s more than stood up to the task.
Vasilevskiy should be in the running for the Vezina Trophy, awarded each season to the goalie deemed the best in the NHL.
Vasilevskiy is tied with Igor Shesterkin for the most saves by any NHL goaltender this season, halting 1,536 pucks across 61 starts. His 37 wins and .922 save percentage in 2024-25 are second-highest in the NHL.
The 30-year-old goalie has earned six shutouts this season, second-most in the NHL behind only Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck.
Vasilevskiy has also been among the league’s premier goalies when shots get harder to stop.
His .858 save percentage on high-danger shots is the second highest among all goalies, trailing only Los Angeles Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper (.863). Hellebuyck ranks third at .844.
The “Big Cat” is 7-2-1 across his past nine starts, posting a .934 save percentage to help the Lightning clinch an eighth consecutive Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance this spring.
Anthony Cirelli — Frank J. Selke Trophy
Tampa Bay could also have a say in the award given to the NHL forward who demonstrates the best skill in the defensive side of the game.
Center Anthony Cirelli has been one of the NHL’s top lockdown players in every situation this season.
At 5-on-5 play, Cirelli ranks in the NHL’s 97th percentile for expected goals against per 60 minutes played (2.01). That shutdown defensive performance is magnified by the fact that Cirelli has faced the 99th percentile in competition, meaning his elite defensive season has come against the toughest competition and top scorers in the NHL.
Cirelli's defensive acumen in odd-man situations is similar.
His four shorthanded goals this season are tied for fourth-most in the NHL, and his six shorthanded points are tied for fifth.
Fifty-eight percent of Cirelli's faceoffs outside of the neutral zone have come in the defensive zone.
His time in the Bolts’ own end has included some gutsy moments—Cirelli’s 69 blocked shots are tied for 21st-most among NHL forwards, ranking in the 98th percentile among forwards with at least 40 games played.
Cirelli is tied for 24th in the NHL for most time played with the other team’s net empty but is one of only nine NHL players to not allow a goal among those with at least 20 minutes of 6-on-5 time.
One last note that shows Lightning coach Jon Cooper’s trust in Cirelli’s defensive game?
When the Lightning hold a one-goal lead in the final three minutes of regulation, Cirelli ranks in the NHL’s 98th percentile for playing time among forwards. He’s the shutdown, close it out guy for Tampa Bay.
