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Lightning Superstar Named Top Winger in NHL

Tampa Ba Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov was named the top winger in the league by NHL Network.

Nick Horwat

Apr 4, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) salutes fans in the crowd during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) salutes fans in the crowd during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
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The NHL Network is ramping up for the 2024-25 season by ranking the best players in each position, with a superstar from the Tampa Bay Lightning leading the way for the wingers. Lightning forward and reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov was named the top winger in the league by NHL Network.

In 2023-24, the Lightning as a team wasn’t at their most dominant, but Kucherov exploded for a career year. His second time leading the NHL in scoring, Kucherov recorded 44 goals and an astounding 100 assists for 144 total points.

To add some perspective on how crazy of a season Kucherov had in 2023-24, he factored in on exactly half of the Lightning's total goal count. Kucherov put up 144 points while the Lightning scored 288 goals all season.

Kucherov took home his second Art Ross trophy as the league’s leading scorer and finished second in Hart Trophy, voting as the league’s most valuable player. He lost to the Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon.

Thanks to Kucherov’s production, the Lightning finished with a 45-29-8 record and the top power play in the NHL. Finishing the year with a 28.63 success rate on the man advantage, Kucherov factored in on 53 (13G-40A) of their 71 power-play goals.

The Lightning didn’t make it very far in the postseason, losing in five games in the opening round to the Florida Panthers. Despite the short run, Kucherov was still productive, putting up seven assists.

With captain Steven Stamkos leaving the Lightning for the Nashville Predators during free agency, more pressure will be added to Kucherov to keep this pace up. He’ll have an elite goal scorer in Jake Guentzel to help him and the Lightning push back to their Cup-winning ways.

Guentzel also ended up on the NHL Network’s top 20 list, being named the 16th-best winger in the NHL. The Lightning acquired Guentzel in free agency on a seven-year deal worth $9 million annually.

The Lightning were one of six teams to have multiple wingers finish in the NHL Network’s top 20 rankings.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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