Kucherov ‘on quite a run’ with Lightning, takes NHL scoring lead

EDMONTON -- Nikita Kucherov has the ability to make offense look easy, but it’s more than just raw talent.   

The 32-year-old forward prides himself in a relentless work ethic, which has made him one of the most prolific offensive players in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

“I think it’s just the love for the game I have,” Kucherov said following a four-point performance in a 5-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Saturday. “I like to study. I like to watch players on different teams and add it to my game what they have. Just be consistent as much as I can and try to go out there, help my team play the right way and execute.” 

With two goals and two assists against Edmonton, which included his first career short-handed goal, Kucherov took the lead in the NHL scoring race. He has 118 points (40 goals, 78 assists) in 64 games and surpassed Oilers center Connor McDavid, who scored in the loss and has 116 points (38 goals, 78 assists) in 71 games. 

“It’s easy to think he’s just gifted,” Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser said. “He’s talented, he sees the game so well, but it just doesn’t come from nothing.

“The amount of work he puts in and just the little details you probably wouldn’t even think about -- the video analysis, where he looks at every player, looks at every tendency, knows the way their stick moves from a timing standpoint, when to give a pass -- all the little details that very few people think about, and he just knows it inside and out.”

Kucherov has taken his offensive game to another level in the calendar year. He has 67 points (22 goals, 45 assists) in 29 games since Jan. 1, which is 21 more than McDavid (46 points; 14 goals, 32 assists) and 23 more than Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (44 points; 11 goals, 33 assist).

He has two five-point games and seven four-point games this season. 

“That kid’s on quite a run,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “I don’t how many players in this League have four points in a game period, let alone the amount of times he gets them. 

“It’s pretty magnificent. It was pretty cool that he got his first shorty tonight; that was a lot of fun on the bench.” 

And it came in a game featuring the top two scorers in the League. Kucherov got the upper hand in the end, scoring the Lightning’s third and fourth goals and assisting on their first two.

“I’m blessed to be able to see him every night, and I love when we come out West and true hockey fans get to see him,” Cooper said. “(Oilers fans) are blessed to see Connor McDavid every night and Leon Draisaitl, and you get to throw ‘Kuch’ in the mix with the greats that play this game. It’s fun for everyone.”

Cooper has been Kucherov’s coach for the latter’s entire NHL career, which began during the 2013-14 season. He also coached McDavid with Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 4 Nations Face-Off last season. 

“They couldn’t be two more completely opposite players, yet they get the same things done,” Cooper said. “Connor is a racehorse and Kuch, he thinks, he slows it down and plays at his own pace. 

“They’re two elite, elite, players; they just do it two different ways and they’re both impressive.”

But despite taking over the scoring lead, the three-time winner of the Art Ross Trophy as the League’s leading scorer (2019, 2024, 2025), Kucherov said he puts team goals ahead of his own. 

“I don’t think about it (Art Ross Trophy) too much,” Kucherov said. “Our goal is the Stanley Cup, and that’s what we’re focusing on here.”

A two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Lightning (2020,2021), Kucherov has 1,112 points (397 goals, 715 assists) in 867 games and is second in franchise history behind Steven Stamkos (1,137 points; 555 goals, 582 assists) in 1,082 games.

At his current pace, Kucherov could pass Stamkos, now a member of the Nashville Predators, before the end of the regular season next month. 

“He does everything well,” Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel said. “He plays defense, he works hard, he gets on the forecheck, he gets pucks back, he creates plays, he slows the game down and he makes the five guys on the ice better players. 

“That’s tough to do when you’re one player, but he does it every night. When you step on the ice with him, you’re a better player from the two (defensemen) to the two forwards he plays with.”

Prior to Saturday, one of the few things Kucherov had not done in the NHL is score short-handed. But with the Lightning down two men in the second period, he came out of the penalty box and took a lofted pass from Moser behind Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard and scored on a breakaway at 16:58 to give Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead.

“That was a hell of a pass by ‘Mo’,” Kucherov said. “I’m happy to play PK if needed. I think I proved it today that I can play it, so we’ll see.”