Tampa Bay’s Kucherov one point from franchise scoring record© X(formerly Twitter)/@TBLightning
Nikita Kucherov is one point away from owning Tampa Bay Lightning history outright. On Tuesday, he scored his third point of the night in a 6-2 demolition of the Vegas Golden Knights, drawing level with Steven Stamkos at 1,137 career points. That third-period breakaway goal did not just put the game to bed. It tied the franchise’s all-time scoring record. Next up is Friday’s road trip to Colorado, where Kucherov gets his first shot at breaking it.
A Record Built on More Than Just Talent
The goal that got him there was pure Kucherov. Just over five minutes into the third period, he stripped the puck from Vegas defenseman Jeremy Lauzon at the Tampa Bay blue line, showed off the deceptive stickhandling that has made him nearly impossible to defend one-on-one, and beat goaltender Carter Hart clean to the blocker side. By that point, he had already assisted on goals by Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, turning what might have been a forgettable regular-season win into a night that will sit in Lightning lore for some time.
The distance Kucherov has travelled to reach this record is worth pausing on. He came in as a second-round pick in 2011. His rookie season in 2013-14 produced just 18 points in 52 games, numbers that drew little attention beyond the organisation. He built himself into a consistent top-six forward over the next couple of seasons, playing on the Lightning’s triplets line alongside Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat, before the 2016-17 campaign changed the conversation around him completely. From that point on, Kucherov was not just a good player. He was one of the best in the game.
The hardware backs that up. Two Stanley Cups, two Hart Trophies, and three Art Ross Trophies. Last season he put up 44 goals and 86 assists for 130 points in 76 games and walked away as league MVP. This season he already has 13 points through nine games.
One Point From Making It His Record Alone
The rest of Tampa Bay’s all-time scoring list tells you everything about how far ahead Kucherov already is. Martin St. Louis sits at 953 points, Vincent Lecavalier at 874, and current defenseman Victor Hedman at 814. None of them is close. The gap Kucherov has opened up is not just significant; it is the kind of distance that reframes how the franchise thinks about its own history.
Friday in Colorado is the first chance to close it out entirely. One point. Given that he is averaging more than a point per game this season, the wait probably will not be long.
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