A special moment for a Legend: Kucherov joins elite company

Just under 12-years ago on November 25, 2013, Nikita Kucherov kicked off his National Hockey League career in true Kucherov fashion by scoring the first goal of his storied NHL career. The Lightning were playing the New York Rangers when he got the opportunity to take the first shot of his career, scoring and putting himself officially in the record books. That season he went on to finish with nine goals and nine assists for a rookie-season 18 points through 52 games skated.

Fast forward to October 25, 2025, Kucherov has earned his 1,000th career point.

Beyond 2013, 2014-’15 was a breakout year for the now Lightning star when he scored 29 goals, had 36 assists, accumulating 65 points. He continued to improve from that point forward finishing 2015-’16 with 66 points, and continuing to gain more points in his next two seasons with 100 and 128 points respectively in 2017-18, and 2018-19.

Kucherov’s 100 points in 2017-18 had put him near the top of the NHL by finishing third in the NHL in scoring. That season the Lightning also went on to win the Atlantic Division.

In the following 2018-19 season he led the NHL, continuing to climb the ranks. He set a single-season record for points by a player born in Russia and won the Hart Trophy for the first time. He was also awarded the Ted Lindsay award by his fellow skaters as they voted him “most outstanding player in the NHL” for the season.

Kucherov missed the 2020-21 regular season due to undergoing hip surgery. However, when he returned he scored eight goals, recorded 24 assists, and 32 points to help lead the Lightning to their second Stanley Cup championship.

He came back in 2021-22 to score 30 goals, record 83 assists and 113 points.

In 2023-24 he elevated even more with 44 goals, 100 assists, and 144 points. He was just the fifth player to record a 100 assist season. In 2023-24 he was once again named the Hart Trophy award recipient for NHL MVP.

Last season he recorded 37 goals, 84 assists, and 121 points and for the second time was named most outstanding player in the NHL, winning the Ted Lindsay award for the second time. He also earned the Art Ross Trophy.

So far this season Kucherov is picking up right where he left off. In six games he has two goals, four assists, and six points. His sixth point in the second period the Lightning’s match against the Anaheim Ducks gives him 1,000 career points, becoming just the second player to reach 1,000 points with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He accumulated his 1,000th point on Jake Guentzel’s second goal of the night against the Ducks.

According to NHL Public Relations, by recording 1,000 points through 809 career games, Kucherov became the fourth-fastest player born outside of North America to reach the 1,000 point milestone.