Kucherov has taken his offensive game to another level in the calendar year. He has 67 points (22 goals, 45 assists) in 29 games since Jan. 1, which is 21 more than McDavid (46 points; 14 goals, 32 assists) and 23 more than Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (44 points; 11 goals, 33 assist).
He has two five-point games and seven four-point games this season.
“That kid’s on quite a run,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “I don’t how many players in this League have four points in a game period, let alone the amount of times he gets them.
“It’s pretty magnificent. It was pretty cool that he got his first shorty tonight; that was a lot of fun on the bench.”
And it came in a game featuring the top two scorers in the League. Kucherov got the upper hand in the end, scoring the Lightning’s third and fourth goals and assisting on their first two.
“I’m blessed to be able to see him every night, and I love when we come out West and true hockey fans get to see him,” Cooper said. “(Oilers fans) are blessed to see Connor McDavid every night and Leon Draisaitl, and you get to throw ‘Kuch’ in the mix with the greats that play this game. It’s fun for everyone.”
Cooper has been Kucherov’s coach for the latter’s entire NHL career, which began during the 2013-14 season. He also coached McDavid with Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 4 Nations Face-Off last season.
“They couldn’t be two more completely opposite players, yet they get the same things done,” Cooper said. “Connor is a racehorse and Kuch, he thinks, he slows it down and plays at his own pace.
“They’re two elite, elite, players; they just do it two different ways and they’re both impressive.”
But despite taking over the scoring lead, the three-time winner of the Art Ross Trophy as the League’s leading scorer (2019, 2024, 2025), Kucherov said he puts team goals ahead of his own.
“I don’t think about it (Art Ross Trophy) too much,” Kucherov said. “Our goal is the Stanley Cup, and that’s what we’re focusing on here.”