Nikita Kucherov`s collection of awards is rapidly expanding following another successful season.
The standout player for the Tampa Bay Lightning was honored with the Ted Lindsay Award for the second time in his career on Wednesday. This prestigious award recognizes the league`s “most outstanding player,” as determined by a vote among his peers in the National Hockey League Players` Association.
Kucherov delivered a stellar performance for the Bolts this season, accumulating 37 goals and 84 assists. His league-leading 121 points also earned him his third career Art Ross Trophy, and second consecutively.
Leading the league with 84 assists also placed him in an elite group, making him just the fourth player in NHL history to achieve three consecutive seasons with 80 or more assists.
The 31-year-old forward also played a key role in the Lightning securing a second-place finish in the Atlantic Division, with a record of 47 wins, 27 losses, and 8 overtime losses. Tampa Bay boasted the NHL`s top offense, scoring 292 goals – six more than the next closest team, the Washington Capitals. Their defense was also strong, allowing the fourth-fewest goals at 216.
Last season, Kucherov was also a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award after achieving a personal best of 144 points, but the award went to Nathan MacKinnon, who claimed it for the first time.
However, this year, Kucherov triumphed, surpassing both MacKinnon and his Avalanche teammate Cale Makar to claim the trophy.
Kucherov`s first Ted Lindsay Award came in the 2018-19 season, when he led the league with 128 points (41 goals, 87 assists). He now joins an exclusive list of active players with multiple Ted Lindsay wins, alongside Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, and Sidney Crosby.
Neville Woodall 
Duncan Priestley