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Nikita Kucherov secured his second Art Ross Trophy after finishing the 2023-24 NHL regular season with a league-leading 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists). Kucherov won his first Art Ross Trophy during the 2018-19 season, securing 128 points that year.
The Tampa Bay Lightning winger narrowly beat Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon (140 points) and Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (132 points).
It is undoubtedly an incredible accomplishment that has NHL fans buzzing on social media.
Many fans took to X/Twitter to congratulate Kucherov on the achievement:
One fan commented "Art Ross secured. Hart Trophy next".
Former player turned analyst, Paul Bissonnette also commented on Kucherov's 100 assists:
"Nikita Kucherov is your Art Ross winner. Some guaranteed hardware." Paul wrote on X.
Here are some more fan reactions to Nikita Kucherov securing Art Ross on X:
"Congratulations," one fan wrote on X.
"Yes our boy won now he needs the MVP," another fan wrote.
"Celebrating brilliance! 144 heartbeats in art. Wow! Thanks for sharing this moving gallery," a fan wrote on X.
"Beauty that touches hearts, 144 strokes of genius," a user wrote.
"Gave him the Ross, so they could rob him of the Hart Trophy," one fan wrote.
"At least he'll have one trophy for all his hard work," one fan said.
Nikita Kucherov notched his 100th assist on Wednesday night and became only the fifth NHL player to reach this milestone, shortly after Edmonton's Connor McDavid hit the mark earlier in the week.
Nikita Kucherov reflects on his 100-assist milestone
Nikita Kucherov expressed his gratitude and appreciation for this special moment:
"It's a special moment," Kucherov said. "Thanks to my teammates and coaching staff for putting me in position to have success. I'm fortunate to play with great players."
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper also shared his thoughts on Kucherov's achievement, comparing the emotions he felt to Stanley Cup victories:
"There are definitely some moments when my career is over that I will look back on. Two of them being the final 10 second countdowns when we won our Stanley Cups. This is tucked right behind those," Cooper said.
He further elaborated on the sense of pride and accomplishment:
"Everybody says, 'What is that feeling like?' and relief often comes to mind but it is not a sexy word," Cooper said. "When you sit back later and think of what you've accomplished, you are really proud of your team and everything they have accomplished. Well, it was a very similar feeling tonight."
Kucherov will aim to continue his form in the playoffs as the Lightning face the Florida Panthers in the first round.
