Kucherov joins legendary list with 3rd straight 80-assist season
Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov entered rarified air with a first-period helper in Monday's win over the New York Rangers, becoming only the fourth player in NHL history to register three consecutive 80-assist seasons.
The other players to do so are Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky (1979-92), Paul Coffey (1983-86), and Bobby Orr (1969-72), according to NHL Public Relations.
Kucherov added another assist in the third period, helping the Lightning to a 5-1 victory. He became only the fifth player to record 100 assists in a single season last year.
He leads all skaters with 263 assists over the past three seasons and only Connor McDavid boasts more points during that span.
Here's a look at Kucherov's numbers over the past three campaigns.
| Season | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 82 | 30 | 83 | 113 |
| 2023-24 | 81 | 44 | 100 | 144 |
| 2024-25 | 73 | 34 | 81 | 115 |
The Bolts' playmaker is now tied Nathan MacKinnon in this season's scoring race with five games remaining. MacKinnon, who beat out Kucherov for the Hart Trophy in 2024, has four contests left.
Kucherov captured the MVP and Art Ross in 2019, and he added a second scoring title to his resume last season.