Nikita Kucherov is officially the NHL’s most valuable player after receiving the title at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
The Tampa Bay Lightning forward won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP for the first time after his prolific 128-point regular season. He beat out two-time MVP Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh and 2017 Hart winner Connor McDavid on Wednesday night at the league’s award ceremony.
Kucherov, who turned 26 on Monday, also won the Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s outstanding player as selected by his fellow players.
A year after scoring 100 points, Kucherov emerged as a dominant NHL forward for the powerhouse Lightning. He won the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in scoring with a career-best 41 goals and 87 assists.
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He tied Jaromir Jagr’s NHL record for assists by a wing, and he surpassed Alexander Mogilny’s single-season record for points by a Russian-born player. His 128 points were the most by any NHL player since 1996 – and the Lightning coincidentally also had 128 points in the standings, also the most by any team since 1996.
Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning won his first Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie.
Full list of winners:
Hart Memorial Trophy (player judged to be the most valuable to his team) — Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay
Vezina Trophy (top goaltender) — Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay
Frank J. Selke Trophy (forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game) — Ryan O’Reilly, C, St. Louis
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with high standard of playing ability) — Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida
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Ted Lindsay Award (MVP as voted by members of the National Hockey League Players’ Association) — Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey) — Robin Lehner, G, N.Y. Islanders
Jack Adams Award (coach judged to have contributed the most to his team’s success) — Barry Trotz, NY Islanders
General Manager of the Year Award (general manager judged to have contributed the most to his team’s success) — Don Sweeney, Boston
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community) — Jason Zucker, LW, Minnesota
Mark Messier Leadership Award (exemplifies great leadership qualities both on and off the ice) — Wayne Simmonds, RW, Nashville
Willy O’Ree Community Hero Award (leadership, collaboration and behaviour that improved lives and others reach potential) — Rico Phillips, founder of Flint Inner-City Youth Hockey Program.
Previously-determined awards (based on regular-season performance):
Art Ross Trophy (leading points scoring leader) — Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay
Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (leading goal scorer) — Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington
William M. Jennings Trophy (goaltender(s) playing a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals allowed) — Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner, NY Islanders
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