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Photo of Nikita Kucherov

Nikita Kucherov

#86 · Right wing · Tampa Bay Lightning

Born Jun 17, 1993 in Maykop, RUS (age 33) · 5'11", 172 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 58th overall in 2011 by TBL (round 2)

Trophy case

×2 Stanley Cup NHL Champion 2020-21, 2019-20
×2 Ted Lindsay Award Most Outstanding Player as Voted by the NHLPA 2024-25, 2018-19

Compare with a similar player

The forwards closest to him in points in 2024-25. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Nathan MacKinnon COL · 116 P in 79 GP David Pastrnak BOS · 106 P in 82 GP Leon Draisaitl EDM · 106 P in 71 GP Mitch Marner TOR · 102 P in 81 GP Connor McDavid EDM · 100 P in 67 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

0501002013-14: 18 points1813-142014-15: 65 points6514-152015-16: 66 points6615-162016-17: 85 points8516-172017-18: 100 points10017-182018-19: 128 points12818-192019-20: 85 points8519-202021-22: 69 points6921-222022-23: 113 points11322-232023-24: 144 points14423-242024-25: 121 points12124-252025-26: 130 points13025-262026-27: 4 points426-27

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2013-14 TBL 52 9 9 18 3 14 102 15 0.35 $712K
2014-15 TBL 82 29 36 65 38 37 191 65 0.79 $712K
2015-16 TBL 77 30 36 66 9 30 209 61 0.86 $712K
2016-17 TBL 74 40 45 85 13 38 246 30 1.15 $4.767M
2017-18 TBL 80 39 61 100 15 42 279 31 1.25 $4.767M
2018-19 TBL 82 41 87 128 24 62 246 44 1.56 $4.767M
2019-20 TBL 68 33 52 85 26 38 210 37 1.25 $9.5M
2021-22 TBL 47 25 44 69 1 22 156 32 1.47 $9.5M
2022-23 TBL 82 30 83 113 -2 36 271 61 1.38 $9.5M
2023-24 TBL 81 44 100 144 8 22 306 45 1.78 $9.5M
2024-25 TBL 78 37 84 121 22 45 265 23 1.55 $9.5M
2025-26 TBL 77 44 86 130 43 50 231 36 1.69 $9.5M
2026-27 TBL 3 1 3 4 2 0 5 0 1.33 $9.5M
13 seasons Career 883 402 726 1128 202 436 2717 480 1.28

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2013-14 TBL 2 1 0 1 0 0 3 1 0.50
2014-15 TBL 26 10 12 22 7 14 57 39 0.85
2015-16 TBL 17 11 8 19 13 8 51 22 1.12
2017-18 TBL 17 7 10 17 -6 10 61 14 1.00
2018-19 TBL 3 0 2 2 -4 19 9 3 0.67
2019-20 TBL 22 6 26 32 17 18 82 37 1.45
2020-21 TBL 23 8 24 32 6 14 62 18 1.39
2021-22 TBL 23 8 19 27 7 14 77 24 1.17
2022-23 TBL 6 1 5 6 0 11 21 11 1.00
2023-24 TBL 5 0 7 7 -1 2 9 13 1.40
2024-25 TBL 5 0 4 4 0 2 7 5 0.80
2025-26 TBL 7 1 5 6 2 10 31 5 0.86
12 seasons Playoffs 156 53 122 175 41 122 470 192 1.12

2024-25 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
78 37 84 121 22 45 265 23 1.55 14.0 21:11

Contract

$9.5MCap hitends in 2027, then UFA
$79KCap dollars per point121 points in 78 games
$489KCap dollars per goal above replacement19.4 goals above replacement
$15.9MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
+$6.4MValueworth less cap hit

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 698 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jul 10, 2018, as an extension of the contract he was on: 8 years and $76M, beginning in 2019-20. It runs through 2026-27, with 2 seasons left after this one, and he is then an unrestricted free agent.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2019-20 $9.5M $1M $11M $12M
2020-21 $9.5M $4M $5M $9M NMC
2021-22 $9.5M $3.5M $8.5M $12M NMC
2022-23 $9.5M $4M $5M $9M NMC
2023-24 $9.5M $5M $5M $10M NMC
2024-25 $9.5M $5M $4M $9M M-NTC
2025-26 $9.5M $5M $3M $8M M-NTC
2026-27 $9.5M $4M $3M $7M M-NTC

Each season of the contract, with this one marked. The cap hit is the same every year; what he is paid is not. The pay is as written when the contract was recorded in October 2024, so a later change, such as the rise in the lowest salary for 2026-27, is not shown.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
Jul 10, 2018 Tampa Bay Lightning Extension 2019-20 to 2026-27 8 $76M $9.5M
Oct 11, 2016 Tampa Bay Lightning New contract 2016-17 to 2018-19 3 $14.3M $4.767M
Sep 11, 2012 Tampa Bay Lightning Entry-level 2013-14 to 2015-16 signed for 2012-13, slid 3 $2.775M $712K

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2024-25 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2024-25 analytics

Regular season Playoffs

Rating

+19.4Goals above replacement7th of 698 skaters, 5th of 456 forwards
+3.2Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
+14.9Goals above averagethe five parts below added up

Each number is coloured by where it ranks among the 456 ranked forwards: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile.

Even-strength offence+13.3 99th percentileEven-strength defence-4.8 3rd percentilePower play+4.5 99th percentilePenalty kill+0.0 42nd percentilePenalties+1.9 91st percentile

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater, and the rank beside it is among forwards. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance.

05101520252013-142015-162017-182019-202022-232024-252026-27Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

52.7Corsi for %1390 attempts for, 1247 against
+3.4CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
55.7Expected goals for %69.0 expected for, 54.8 against
+5.7xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
52.4Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
62.6Goals for %82 for, 49 against
104.6PDO12.3% shooting + 92.3% saves
360Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

Each share is coloured by where it ranks among the 598 skaters who played enough to be ranked: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile. PDO and attempts taken are left plain, since neither is good or bad on its own.

Who he played with

Forward lineGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Nikita Kucherov · Jake Guentzel · Brayden Point67649:2351.054.444-26
Nikita Kucherov · Anthony Cirelli · Brandon Hagel63243:4862.267.813-8
Nikita Kucherov · Jake Guentzel · Anthony Cirelli2654:0059.359.84-0
Nikita Kucherov · Yanni Gourde · Brayden Point542:3155.855.14-2

The lines he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's lines that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net.

35Goalsnot counting empty-netters
27.1Expected goalsfrom 374 unblocked attempts
+7.9Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.98 expected goals per 60 minutes82nd
Shot quality 7.2% chance per attempt33rd
Finishing +7.9 goals above expected94thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of forwards he is ahead of, among the 428 who played 300 minutes or more this season.

0102030Game 20Game 40Game 60Goals 35Expected 27.1

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took this season, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. Darker red means more attempts from that spot, and each dot is a goal. "Show every shot" switches to a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 17, 2025 @ NYR L 0-4 0 0 0 -2 0 3 0 13:43
Apr 15, 2025 vs FLA W 5-1 1 1 2 3 0 3 0 15:12
Apr 13, 2025 vs BUF W 7-4 2 1 3 2 0 4 0 19:42
Apr 11, 2025 vs DET L 3-4 (OT) 0 0 0 -2 0 1 0 21:58
Apr 9, 2025 vs TOR L 3-4 (OT) 0 1 1 -2 0 2 1 25:02
Apr 7, 2025 @ NYR W 5-1 1 2 3 1 0 2 0 20:28
Apr 5, 2025 @ BUF L 2-3 (SO) 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 23:25
Apr 3, 2025 @ OTT L 1-2 0 0 0 0 2 7 0 25:09
Apr 1, 2025 @ NYI W 4-1 0 2 2 1 0 2 1 18:34
Mar 29, 2025 vs NYI W 5-3 1 3 4 4 0 6 0 19:43
Mar 27, 2025 vs UTA W 8-0 1 3 4 3 0 5 0 15:52
Mar 25, 2025 vs PIT W 6-1 1 2 3 2 2 2 0 18:17
Mar 23, 2025 @ VGK L 2-4 1 0 1 -2 2 6 0 22:09
Mar 22, 2025 @ UTA L 4-6 0 1 1 -1 0 6 0 21:09
Mar 20, 2025 @ DAL W 3-2 (SO) 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 21:11
Mar 17, 2025 vs PHI W 2-0 1 1 2 1 0 3 0 22:37
Mar 15, 2025 @ BOS W 6-2 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 19:25
Mar 11, 2025 @ CAR L 1-4 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 15:17
Mar 8, 2025 vs BOS L 0-4 0 0 0 -2 0 3 0 17:16
Mar 6, 2025 vs BUF W 6-5 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 17:18
Mar 4, 2025 vs CBJ W 6-2 1 2 3 3 0 7 0 19:57
Mar 3, 2025 @ FLA L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 27:58
Mar 1, 2025 @ WSH W 3-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 20:55
Feb 27, 2025 vs CGY W 3-0 1 0 1 0 2 4 0 16:41
Feb 25, 2025 vs EDM W 4-1 0 2 2 1 2 3 0 22:51
Feb 23, 2025 vs SEA W 4-1 1 0 1 1 0 3 0 18:13
Feb 8, 2025 @ DET W 6-3 0 3 3 2 4 1 0 22:15
Feb 6, 2025 vs OTT W 5-1 0 2 2 1 2 4 0 21:05
Feb 4, 2025 vs OTT W 4-3 1 0 1 -1 0 3 0 23:13
Feb 1, 2025 vs NYI L 2-3 (OT) 1 0 1 1 0 3 0 23:59
Jan 30, 2025 vs LAK W 3-0 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 22:22
Jan 28, 2025 vs CHI L 1-4 0 1 1 -1 2 2 0 24:19
Jan 25, 2025 @ DET L 0-2 0 0 0 -1 0 7 1 26:14
Jan 24, 2025 @ CHI W 4-3 (OT) 1 2 3 -2 2 2 0 25:04
Jan 21, 2025 @ MTL L 2-3 1 0 1 1 0 4 1 26:55
Jan 20, 2025 @ TOR L 3-5 0 1 1 -3 0 5 0 25:06
Jan 18, 2025 vs DET W 5-1 1 2 3 2 0 2 0 16:44
Jan 16, 2025 vs ANA W 4-3 (SO) 0 2 2 0 0 3 0 27:27
Jan 14, 2025 @ BOS L 2-6 0 1 1 -4 0 5 0 21:36
Jan 12, 2025 @ PIT W 5-2 2 1 3 3 0 3 1 19:10
Jan 11, 2025 @ NJD L 2-3 (OT) 1 0 1 1 0 4 0 23:58
Jan 9, 2025 vs BOS W 4-1 0 2 2 1 0 3 1 22:49
Jan 7, 2025 vs CAR W 3-2 0 1 1 1 2 5 0 22:50
Jan 5, 2025 @ ANA L 1-4 0 1 1 -2 2 3 0 22:46
Jan 4, 2025 @ LAK L 1-2 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 23:24
Jan 2, 2025 @ SJS L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 23:01
Dec 29, 2024 vs MTL L 2-5 1 0 1 -1 2 2 0 22:22
Dec 28, 2024 vs NYR W 6-2 1 2 3 0 0 5 0 19:55
Dec 23, 2024 @ FLA W 4-0 1 0 1 1 15 5 0 06:12
Dec 22, 2024 vs FLA L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 2 0 23:47
Dec 19, 2024 vs STL W 3-1 0 2 2 2 0 1 1 20:51
Dec 17, 2024 vs CBJ W 5-3 0 1 1 1 0 4 0 17:25
Dec 14, 2024 @ SEA W 5-1 0 2 2 2 0 2 0 20:24
Dec 12, 2024 @ CGY W 8-3 1 5 6 2 0 1 0 19:11
Dec 10, 2024 @ EDM L 1-2 0 1 1 0 0 3 1 22:05
Dec 8, 2024 @ VAN W 4-2 1 2 3 1 0 4 0 22:43
Nov 29, 2024 @ NSH W 3-2 (OT) 0 1 1 -1 0 2 0 16:39
Nov 27, 2024 vs WSH L 4-5 0 1 1 -1 0 4 0 23:51
Nov 25, 2024 vs COL W 8-2 1 2 3 0 0 4 0 18:49
Nov 23, 2024 vs DAL L 2-4 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 21:41
Nov 21, 2024 @ CBJ L 6-7 (OT) 0 3 3 -1 0 6 1 23:01
Nov 19, 2024 @ PIT W 3-2 (OT) 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 24:51
Nov 16, 2024 vs NJD W 4-0 0 2 2 1 0 2 1 19:39
Nov 14, 2024 vs WPG W 4-1 0 1 1 1 0 5 0 22:47
Nov 7, 2024 vs PHI L 1-2 (SO) 1 0 1 1 2 4 1 26:05
Nov 5, 2024 @ STL L 2-3 0 2 2 0 0 3 1 25:56
Nov 3, 2024 @ WPG L 4-7 1 1 2 -1 0 4 3 22:33
Nov 1, 2024 @ MIN L 3-5 0 1 1 -3 0 8 0 22:41
Oct 30, 2024 @ COL W 5-2 1 2 3 2 0 2 0 16:36
Oct 28, 2024 vs NSH W 3-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 21:44
Oct 26, 2024 vs WSH W 3-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 18:51
Oct 24, 2024 vs MIN L 2-4 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 20:57
Oct 22, 2024 @ NJD W 8-5 0 2 2 0 0 3 0 18:00
Oct 21, 2024 @ TOR L 2-5 0 1 1 0 0 4 2 21:39
Oct 19, 2024 @ OTT L 4-5 1 1 2 0 0 6 1 19:44
Oct 17, 2024 vs VGK W 4-3 2 0 2 2 0 6 0 23:06
Oct 15, 2024 vs VAN W 4-1 1 0 1 2 0 4 1 22:28
Oct 11, 2024 @ CAR W 4-1 3 1 4 2 0 6 1 21:55