Nikita Kucherov has produced some fantastic offensive seasons, including three 100-point campaigns since 2017-18. Now in his 10th NHL season, the Tampa Bay Lightning forward has reached the triple-digit mark for the fourth time in his career, scoring a goal and three assists for a four-point effort against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
Now six points ahead of Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon with 102 total points, there will be plenty of focus on Kucherov in the last quarter of the season to see if the 30-year-old will win the Hart Trophy for the second time in his career (he won in 2018-19 after recording 128 points).
But will being head and shoulders ahead of the competition in points be enough to take home the award? Could MacKinnon and Toronto Maple Leafs’ forward Auston Matthews give the four-time All-Star a run for his money?
On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss Kucherov’s unbelievable offensive season and if it is enough to win the Hart Trophy for the second time of his career.
Tyler Yaremchuk: Kucherov is 40 points clear of his next Lightning teammate in Braydon Point in terms of total points. That is insane. When you look at where the Bolts are in the playoff race and the production they’ve gotten out of him is mind blowing. The season he’s having is incredible.
Frank Seravalli: One of the fastest players over the age of 30 to hit the 100-point mark. It’s not just that he’s lapping Brayden Point, it’s that Point is no schmo. He’s north of a point-per-game himself and scored 51 last season and that he currently has 62 points in 60 games. That’s how good Kucherov is.
If we’re talking about where he stacks up in the Hart Trophy race, he needs to be right near the very top.
You can watch the rest of the segment and the full episode here…
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