Player Discussion: Nikita Kucherov - Part 2

[These Are The Days]

I'm not surprised. As far as I can tell, to this day Russias take artful athleticism like ballet, gymnastics and figure skating more seriously than any other country in the world and that just combined all 3 of them. The 'ol CCCP culture ain't gonna go quietly.

 

[DFC]

I hope you're right about him stepping up because if it wasn't for Cirelli's heroics I would not have had very nice words for Kucherov. Make no mistake, the guy has had huge moments before (NYR game 3) (PIT game 5) (NYI game 2) but when it's a 3-2 series lead and time to go for the throat and close the opponent out, Kucherov turns into a lost dog on the ice. Once you get to about the 5h game of a given series his brain turns off.

I don't expect the guy to be perfect all the time, but that was about the 4th different time he was not good in a game 6. I'll try to not be so critical of this last game because he was clearly exhausted. But if Dallas was to win the Cup in 6 and Kucherov is nowhere to be found, it'll simply reinforce the point I was trying to make about how his play under pressure does no put us in a position to win.

Honestly, I do think some of us are starting to expect him to be perfect all the time. The guy has been great this post-season, but anything less than the best player on planet earth is no longer satisfactory.

Most of your last paragraph is pure BS. You're saying the leading scorer in these playoffs does not put his team in a position to win. Okay then...

 

[Stelio Kontos]

Honestly, I do think some of us are starting to expect him to be perfect all the time. The guy has been great this post-season, but anything less than the best player on planet earth is no longer satisfactory.

Most of your last paragraph is pure BS. You're saying the leading scorer in these playoffs does not put his team in a position to win. Okay then...

Agreed 10 other forwards out there but somehow it’s all Kucherovs fault. It’s like people forget that the other team is trying their f***ing hardest to not let Kuch beat them because he’s a game changer. And when we don’t have secondary scoring he gets locked onto in the ozone away from the puck and held the majority of the time. Other players have to step up

 

[These Are The Days]

Honestly, I do think some of us are starting to expect him to be perfect all the time. The guy has been great this post-season, but anything less than the best player on planet earth is no longer satisfactory.

Most of your last paragraph is pure BS. You're saying the leading scorer in these playoffs does not put his team in a position to win. Okay then...

In a position to win a game 6 or 7. If you can remember ANY time he has I'll eat my crow. He is a completely different player than he is in like a game 3. I wouldn't have cared how he played this last game if I didn't see him play less than average like 6 different times between games 6 and 7 of a series.

 

[DFC]

In a position to win a game 6 or 7. If you can remember ANY time he has I'll eat my crow. He is a completely different player than he is in like a game 3. I wouldn't have cared how he played this last game if I didn't see him play less than average like 6 different times between games 6 and 7 of a series.

That's not exactly fair considering the team as a whole has been pretty awful in those games, because the only time we've gone to those games has been pretty deep. Even so, in 2015 he was fine in those situations before his injury. And yeah, that's going back quite far, but this is the first time since that he's had a guy with any grit on his wing, and the first time Cooper has the team playing a style that can overcome opponents trying to shut us down.

I just think it's a ridiculously nit-picky statement. The guy has, if I'm not mistaken, just tied the franchise record for points in a post-season, with a whole series left to play, and we're still trying to pretend he's not good in the playoffs?

 

[BoltzManConstant]

In a position to win a game 6 or 7. If you can remember ANY time he has I'll eat my crow. He is a completely different player than he is in like a game 3. I wouldn't have cared how he played this last game if I didn't see him play less than average like 6 different times between games 6 and 7 of a series.

Detroit game 6 in 2015 -- Kuch with 3 assists in a 5-2 win.
Montreal game 6 same year -- Kuch with 2 goals and an assist in 4-1 win.
Isles game 6 this year -- Kuch with one assist in 2-1 win.

And come on, man -- the guy is the most prolific playoff scorer in the entire NHL since he entered the league, with 87 points in 83 games. If you limit your view to just our elimination games (where we or our opponent could clinch) he's scored 18 points in 21 games. So yes, he's been slightly less productive in the elimination games, but it's easily just random variation. Absurd to claim that the slight difference in production drops him from most prolific in the league to someone who doesn't show up.

 

[Master P]

Was really nice to see Kuch keep his cool after getting knocked around so much at the start of game 2. He just focused on playing and was great. Need him to channel that anger into goals.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Was really nice to see Kuch keep his cool after getting knocked around so much at the start of game 2. He just focused on playing and was great. Need him to channel that anger into goals.

Yeah Kuch took a beating out there but pushed through. Way to go!

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Was really nice to see Kuch keep his cool after getting knocked around so much at the start of game 2. He just focused on playing and was great. Need him to channel that anger into goals.

Once he got elbowed by Benn in game 2, it was a game-changer, he instantly stole the puck with anger from a Dallas player and changed the momentum of the shift. Since Kucherov has scored 4 points. He's exactly where I expected him in the Final, stepping up.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Honestly, I do think some of us are starting to expect him to be perfect all the time. The guy has been great this post-season, but anything less than the best player on planet earth is no longer satisfactory.

Most of your last paragraph is pure BS. You're saying the leading scorer in these playoffs does not put his team in a position to win. Okay then...

Tampa's fanbase in a nutshell. We're spoiled with gifted players and still want more. I read how players improved this year, but the biggest difference is Cooper's coaching IMO. It's prime time, but that core was absolutely legit for years.

 

[Rschmitz]

Hitting Kucherov just kinda energized him this postseason, kinda like the Black Panther

 

[Lolaimbot]

Kucherov has most playoff points (95), goals (36) and assists(59) in Lightning history. What a player.

 

[Outl4w]

Kucherov has most playoff points (95), goals (36) and assists(59) in Lightning history. What a player.

Russian machine never sleeps!

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[dbieon12]

Kucherov has most playoff points (95), goals (36) and assists(59) in Lightning history. What a player.

Has Kucherov passed Stamkos (yet) in terms of 'contribution to the team'? How do you weigh the last few seasons (where Kuch has been 1A) along with his playoff scoring?

 

[These Are The Days]

This is gold

We need to find as much footage of these guys celebrating as possible

 

[DFC]

Has Kucherov passed Stamkos (yet) in terms of 'contribution to the team'? How do you weigh the last few seasons (where Kuch has been 1A) along with his playoff scoring?

He has. Kucherov has been a major contributor in Stanley Cup championship, and that counts for a lot. Most playoff points in team history.

Whether it's fair or not, Stamkos's lack of playoff success will hold his legacy back a bit. Still plenty of time to correct it though.

 

[Peacefool]

This is gold

We need to find as much footage of these guys celebrating as possible

Yeah for sure. It would be amazing if someone could take all footage of guys celebrating and make a big video. Cuz I'm at sea now Internet isn't so good so I can't watch vids and I will miss most of celebrating vids,it would be cool to watch them after I will be back home

 

[Lolaimbot]

Has Kucherov passed Stamkos (yet) in terms of 'contribution to the team'? How do you weigh the last few seasons (where Kuch has been 1A) along with his playoff scoring?

I'll put it this way: from my point of view he is already the best forward in the team history and when it's all said and done he will also be the greatest.

 

[FinnLightning26]

I'll put it this way: from my point of view he is already the best forward in the team history and when it's all said and done he will also be the greatest.

IMO Marty is still the best forward in team history. Kuch can pass him though if he has the longevity.

 

[These Are The Days]

He has. Kucherov has been a major contributor in Stanley Cup championship, and that counts for a lot. Most playoff points in team history.

Whether it's fair or not, Stamkos's lack of playoff success will hold his legacy back a bit. Still plenty of time to correct it though.

Kucherov's play late in series still scares me. Make no mistake, when he's on he's ON! I'm not surprised he did as well as he did in terms of his totals. It's just more like when it's a 3-2 series you can see him gripping his stick tighter, you can see him over-thinking, you can see him trying to cherry-pick the blue line. He did it again this last game. To me he wasn't looking like Kucherov. He was so tense out there. That was the whole crux of my "Is he really putting us in a position to win?" argument. But alas, it's a narrow train of thought that is no longer relevant because we are Champions. And it was responded by him joining the Lemieux/Gretzky list in post-season assists. I actually think he stands to do it again because chances are he's gonna be more relaxed next go-around. That's probably the last time he's gonna be tense. Or at least me thinking he is.



How do they cook crows in Russia again??
















BTW- war changing your name to "Fresh Prince Of NB" or is it NS you're in? I'm having a brain fart at a bad time here

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

 

[Zwui21]

We have seen Kuch smile once or twice in his whole tenue in Tampa, and the guy hasn't stopped smiling one moment since winning the Cup. Wholesome, you can see how much this means to him.



(the fact he's hammered beyond human consciousness makes it all even better)

 

[Todd1a]

Kuuuuuch is human lol hammered lol tell Vinik I love this guy he is the best guy in Tampa then shares a beer with jeff Vinik lol

 

[Todd1a]

Kuuuuuch is human lol hammered lol tell Vinik I love this guy he is the best guy in Tampa then shares a beer with jeff Vinik lol

And I forgot gives Vinik kiss on the cheek lol