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NHL Makes Major Nikita Kucherov Announcement on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Apr 18, 2025 5:05 AM ET

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov closed out the 2024–25 regular season with another major achievement.

In Thursday's finale against the New York Rangers, a 4-0 Tampa Bay loss, Kucherov failed to bulk up his final point tally of the campaign but still secured the NHL's scoring title for a second straight year.

"Points on points on points," the NHL wrote in a post on X announcing Kucherov's final 121-point tally for the season, crowning him the Art Ross Trophy winner.

The 31-year-old led the league with 121 points in 78 games, split into 37 goals and 84 assists. His assist total tied for the most in the NHL, and he also led the league with 48 power-play points.

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon finished second in scoring for the second consecutive season, posting 116 points, with Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak tied for third with 106 points apiece.

Nikita Kucherov picks up his second consecutive Art Ross Trophy as the League's highest point scorer! ⚡️ #NHLAwards

He finishes the 2024-25 season with 121 points. pic.twitter.com/vJhY0EGyQq
— NHL (@NHL) April 18, 2025

Kucherov is now a three-time Art Ross Trophy winner, having previously captured the honor in 2018–19 and 2023–24.

He joins Connor McDavid and Jaromir Jagr as the only players to win the trophy in back-to-back seasons over the past 25 years.

This season, Kucherov also became the 14th player in league history to record three seasons of 120 or more points, the first Russian-born player to post five 100-point seasons, and the fourth player in NHL history with 80 assists in three straight seasons.

Kucherov enters the postseason with 994 points in 802 NHL games, with the Lightning celebrating Kucherov's 800th game on April 11.

Tampa Bay will face the Florida Panthers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 1 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday at Amalie Arena.

It marks the fourth time in five years that the two Florida teams meet in the postseason. Last season, Florida defeated Tampa Bay in five games and won the Stanley Cup, beating the Edmonton Oilers in seven games.

The Lightning, who finished second in the Atlantic Division with 102 points, enter this year's playoffs with home-ice advantage as the Panthers had to conform with a third-place finish in the division after wrapping up the year with 98 points.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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