(via NHL Communications) - Right wing Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Art Ross Trophy, presented “to the player who leads the League in scoring points at the end of the regular season.”
Kucherov registered a League-high 128 points (41-87—128 in 82 GP) – the most by any NHL player since 1995-96 – to finish the season ahead of Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (41-75—116 in 78 GP) and Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (44-66—110 in 81 GP) for his first career Art Ross Trophy. Kucherov, who also led the NHL in power-play scoring (15-33—48), collected at least one point in 62 of 82 appearances (75.6%). That included a League-best 38 multi-point games, highlighted by eight outings of four-plus points (also tops in the NHL). Kucherov, who set franchise records for assists and points in one season, became the second Lightning player to claim the Art Ross Trophy, following wins by Martin St. Louis in 2003‑04 and 2012-13. The 26-year-old Maykop native also became the third Russian-born player to capture the award, joining Alex Ovechkin (2007-08) and Evgeni Malkin (2008-09 and 2011-12), and broke Alexander Mogilny’s single-season NHL record for points by a Russian-born player (76-51—127 in 1992-93 w/ BUF).
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