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Nikita Kucherov recorded his 100th assist during the Tampa Bay Lightning's match against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Amalie Arena in Tampa. The Lightning won the game with a score of 6-4.
Kucherov's 100th assist was delivered on a Brayden Point goal, nearly 18 minutes into the second period. This places Kucherov among the greats of the NHL, namely Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Mario Lemieux. Notably, Connor McDavid also joined the 100th assist club a week ago in six fewer games.
"KUCH HITS 100 ASSISTS," NHL's official account announced on X.
"Absolutely insane, congrats Kuch. To do that at home too, I feel so happy for those fans."
"GIVE THIS MAN THE HART," wrote a fervent fan.
However, a few fans believe that McDavid's milestone was more impressive.
"Mcdavid did it in 6 less games. Still impressed congratulations," a user chimed in.
"thats cool but mcdavid did first with more primary assists," a commenter wrote.
From a standpoint, Nikita Kucherov's success overlies McDavid's, given his status as a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. In more tweets from NHL Fans, they said the following:
"MVP!! Kuch carried this team on his back this season. Without him, #Bolts aren't in the playoffs," chipped in another fan.
"100 assists over 140 points on a team that didn’t have their goalie for 20 games and took time to get back to his game and a team that was terrible on defence, he’s the MVP," wrote another fan.
Kucherov has been the backbone of the Tampa Bay Lightning, playing for over 10 years with the franchise. Over the decade, he has suited up for 724 games, recording 319 goals and 552 assists tallying 871 points. He has a plus-minus rating of +137 over his career with the club.
The 30-year-old is from Maykop, Russia, shoots left, and was drafted in 2011 by the Tampa Bay Lightning. His success stems from his partnerships with teammates such as Steven Stamkos and other players who have complemented the team.
In an interview with Gabby Shirley of Bally Sports Florida on Twitter/X, Nikita Kucherov said the following regarding his milestone:
"A special moment. Thanks to my teammates and the coaching staff for putting me in a position to have success and fortunate to be with great players, to play with great players, and it is a good moment"
Nikita Kucherov's head coach Jon Cooper shared an interesting fact about the forward
Nikita Kucherov's season has been ablaze ever since it started. He has found himself scoring and assisting on plays more consistently which has had a tremendous impact on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Jon Cooper, head coach of the Lightning was asked about Kucherov, who hasn't been held off the scoresheet for more than two consecutive games this season. In a reply, Cooper revealed an astonishing stat about the forward to Lightning's Beat Writer of NHL.COM:
"You know what's consistent? He has 23 games with three or more points."
The Tampa Bay Lightning will reignite their series with the Florida Panthers on April 21. The first round of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs starts on April 20.
