Incredible accomplishment for No. 86.
Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov is on a torrid scoring pace once again in 2024-25, and he added his name to an exclusive list in a 5-1 drubbing of the New York Rangers on Monday night.
The Russian scored a goal and added two assists in the victory, in the process becoming just the fourth player in National Hockey League history to record three consecutive 80-assist seasons.
The only other players to accomplish the feat are Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky (13 from 1979-92), Paul Coffey (three from 1983-86) and Bobby Orr (three from 1969-72), per NHL Public Relations.
It's been another incredible campaign for the 31-year-old, who is tied for the league lead with Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon at 115 points in just 73 games.
It's nothing new for Kucherov, who leads all NHL skaters with 263 assists over the past three seasons; only Connor McDavid has more points in that span. Kucherov led the league in 2023-24 with a ridiculous 44 goals, 100 assists and 144 points in 81 games.
“Every year you seem to marvel at something and that's just another amazing stat in what is probably going to be a Hall of Fame career,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of the team's best player, per NHL.com's Dan Rosen. “Just don't take him for granted because he's a special, special player.”
Kucherov won both the Hart Trophy and Art Ross in 2018-19 after putting up 128 points over a full 82-game slate. Although the Lightning ended up being swept in Round 1 by the Columbus Blue Jackets that year — one of the most shocking upsets in NHL history — they would go on to win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.
In 2024-25, the Bolts are again eyeing a deep postseason run with just five games left in their regular-season.
Lightning looking for 3rd title in 6 seasons this spring
Now 45-26-6 through 77 games, Tampa Bay is just two points back of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Atlantic Division lead. The Leafs have a game in hand and have won four straight.
Still, the Lightning are in the fight to win the division. If they don't, they'll open the postseason by playing either a familiar face in the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, or Ottawa Senators, who have been surging as of late.
“It's tight,” forward Brayden Point, who scored twice on Monday night, said of the playoff race. “It's home ice and that means a lot in a seven-game series. We're just really working on trying to get our game right for the playoffs and that's going to be a big test against Toronto.”
The Lightning and Leafs will meet for the final time in the regular-season on Wednesday night in Tampa Bay, a game that could have huge implications in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Afterwards, Tampa plays Detroit, Buffalo, Florida and again against New York before their regular-season concludes next Thursday, April 17.
If Kucherov keeps on playing the way he has, the Lightning are going to be a tough out in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It'll be interesting to see if the squad can bring a third championship in six seasons to Tampa Bay this spring.
