Kucherov Wins Hart Memorial Trophy as League MVP

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov was named the 2025-26 Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player on Thursday night. Photo Credit: Alyssa Shimko | Thunderstruck Sports

By Mike Smith | Thunderstruck Sports

Win or lose, the Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov has been known to hit the practice ice relatively quickly once the offseason comes to hone his skills and prepare for the upcoming fall. Teammates and other NHL players line up for the opportunity to join the talented forward. Recently, he was surprised at practice by a special guest waiting for him at the Lightning's practice facility:

The Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to Kucherov for being voted the National Hockey League's Most Valuable Player for the 2025-26 season.

Keeper of the Stanley Cup Phil Pritchard brought the Hart Trophy all the way from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto to Tampa. On the journey, they took a plane, a trolley, a jet ski, and a convertible to present Kucherov with his prize.

"Thanks for this honor. Just really grateful for my teammates, coaches, my family," Kucherov said. "This means a lot."

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov fires a shot and scores against the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 25, 2026. Kucherov was named the Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's Most Valuable Player on Thursday night. Photo Credit: Alyssa Shimko | Thunderstruck Sports

The scoring phenom beat out Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid by 10 points and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, who finished third, to win the award for the second time. Kucherov also won in 2018-19.

The Accolades Keep Coming For Kucherov

Considered one of the most underrated players in NHL history, Kucherov's resume has continued to grow over the years as he inches toward enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Along with now two Hart Trophies, Kucherov has also won the Stanley Cup twice, the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion three times, and the Ted Lindsay Award twice as most outstanding player in the NHL.

Kucherov was also a finalist for the Lindsay Award this season; McDavid was announced as the winner on Sunday.

Nikita Kucherov winds up for his patented slap shot from the right side against the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 4, 2025. Photo Credit: Alyssa Shimko | Thunderstruck Sports

The 32-year-old joins head coach Jon Cooper and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy as 2025-26 award winners for the Lightning. Cooper was named the coach of the year as the recipient of the Jack Adams Award.

Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy as the League's best goalie. The Russian teammates have shared a unique bond as they have become two of the Lightning's playing legends.

Kucherov and Vasilevskiy are the first teammates to win the Hart Trophy and Vezina Trophy in the same season on multiple occasions (also won in 2018-19) since the Canadiens' Guy Lafleur and Ken Dryden (1976-77 and 1977-78).

Kucherov has been a finalist for the Hart Trophy four times, including the past three consecutive seasons.

The Numbers Don't Lie

The Bolts' Right Winger was second in the NHL this season with 44 goals and 86 assists for 130 points in 76 games.

A late-season illness forced Kucherov out of the lineup for three games and cost him a chance to earn another Ross Trophy. He was leading the League in overall scoring at that point.

He led the League with a points-per-game average of 1.71 and had a plus-43 rating, tied for third among all players. He had at least one point in 60 of 76 games, including 40 games with at least two points.

The Russian had nine games with at least four points and two five-point games.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov smiles as he acknowledges his family and fans after a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on April 4, 2026. Photo Credit: Alyssa Shimko | Thunderstruck Sports

A second-round selection by Tampa Bay in 2011, Kucherov made his NHL debut on November 25, 2013, against the New York Rangers.

His debut was as special as his career has become. Kucherov scored on his first shot in his very first career shift that night and became only the seventh NHL player in Lightning history to score in his NHL debut.

Since then, Kucherov has 1,124 points (401 goals, 723 assists) in 879 regular-season games and 177 points (54 goals, 123 assists) in 159 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.

He won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021, leading all postseason point-scorers each time.

Tampa Bay Lightning Right Wing Nikita Kucherov leads his teammates to the bench after celebrating one of his 44 goals this season. Photo Credit: Alyssa Shimko | Thunderstruck Sports

Kucherov cemented his legacy in Tampa Bay with his postgame press conference following the Bolts' Game 5 Cup-clinching victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The normally quiet and reserved forward sat in front of the microphone, shirtless, downing beers, and taking questions.

His classic "Number One Bulls**t!" line from that night still echoes throughout the Bay Area.

He was then back on that rented sheet of ice a few days later, working on honing his skills for the next season. It's a ritual he maintains every offseason.

"One of the great things that makes 'Kuch' Kuch is he's never satisfied," Cooper, who was on hand for the surprise, said. "He could have 50 goals one year, well, he wants 51 the next year. He could have a hundred assists one year. He might want 110 the next year. I think really that's the growth of Kuch, he doesn't put that above the team."

"The list of players on (the Hart Trophy) is amazing. For him to be on there multiple times, that's pretty cool."