Nikita Kucherov

Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey player who is a right winger and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded as one of the best to ever play for the franchise, and one of the best players in the world, Kucherov is a two-time recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 2019 and 2026, and twice was voted the winner of the Ted Lindsay Award as players' choice for the best player in the NHL in 2019 and 2025. He has led the league in scoring three times, thus earning the Art Ross Trophy in 2019, 2024, and 2025, and was the runner-up for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's goal-scoring leader in 2017. Kucherov holds the record for most points by a Russian-born player in a single season (144).