Sport Bilder des Tages April 21, 2022, Tampa, Florida, USA: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov 86 celebrates his goal beating Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Erik Kallgren 50 during second period action at Amalie Arena on Thursday, April 21, 2022 in Tampa. Tampa USA - ZUMAs70_ 0156605613st Copyright: xDirkxShaddx
Sport Bilder des Tages April 21, 2022, Tampa, Florida, USA: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov 86 celebrates his goal beating Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Erik Kallgren 50 during second period action at Amalie Arena on Thursday, April 21, 2022 in Tampa. Tampa USA - ZUMAs70_ 0156605613st Copyright: xDirkxShaddx
The NHL announced on June 11 that Nikita Kucherov has won the 2026 Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player. The honor is the second Hart trophy of Kucherov's career and his first in seven years, having previously won the award in 2019.
Following this, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper celebrated the milestone alongside the veteran forward. He praised how Kucherov stands out from other elite players.
"One of the great things that makes 'Kuch' Kuch is he's never satisfied," Cooper said. "He could have 50 goals one year; well, he wants 51 the next year. But ultimately, he doesn't put that above the team. He would trade that trophy for the Stanley Cup anytime. Those are the guys you want to have around.”
Kucherov's latest MVP award further holds his place in Tampa Bay history. He has won two Stanley Cups, three Art Ross Trophies as the league's scoring champion, and two Ted Lindsay Awards.
He sits just 14 points behind Steven Stamkos as the franchise's leading scorer.
How Kucherov Captured His Second Hart Trophy
Kucherov led Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid by 10 points in the final voting, with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon finishing third.
The Hart Trophy is awarded annually to the player who’s voted the most valuable to his team by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association across all NHL teams.
During the 2025-26 season, Kucherov finished in second place with around 130 points on 44 goals and 86 assists in 76 games. He then led the league with a 1.71 points-per-game average, with a plus-43 rating. These stats tied him for third among all players, with a record in 60 of his 76 games.
The Hart Trophy depends on the value given by the team rather than simply being the league's leading scorer.
McDavid put on a strong campaign for Edmonton, which is the reason why the competition between the two players was so tight.
Cooper's praise reflects the entire team’s idea of Kucherov. Still, his second Hart Trophy stands as a reminder that he is one of the NHL’s top contenders.
Read more at NHL Fan Central!
Written by
Aadhya Nalla
Edited by
Ankita Yadav