Tampa Bay Lightning right winger Nikita Kucherov of Maykop, Russia became the 101st player in National Hockey League history to record 1000 points in a NHL career. He accomplished the feat in a 4-3 Lightning win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Inside Look at 1000th career point
Kucherov had the secondary assist on a goal by Jake Guentzel of Omaha, Nebraska in a 4-3 Lightning win over the Anaheim Ducks on October 25. Brayden Point of Calgary, Alberta had the other helper. The Guentzel goal came at 12:19 of the second period and put the Lightning up 2-1.
Inside Look at 1001st career point
Kucherov also recorded his 1001st career point on Sunday with a primary assist on the game-winning goal by Anthony Cirelli of Etobicoke, Ontario. Cirelli’s goal broke a 3-3 tie on the power-play with three minutes and 15 seconds left in the third period. Lightning captain Victor Headman of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden picked up the other assist.
Kucherov’s career statistics
Kucherov has 359 goals and 642 assists for 1001 NHL career points. In 809 games, he is a +149 with 388 penalty minutes, 367 power-play points, 57 game-winning goals, 2498 shots on goal, 10 faceoff wins, 264 blocked shots, 446 hits, 456 takeaways, and 777 giveaways.
Where does Kucherov rank among Lightning in career points?
Kucherov is second all-time. He is 136 points back of Steven Stamkos of Markham, Ontario. Stamkos had 1137 points with the Lightning from 2008 to 2024 with the Lightning. He had 555 goals and 582 assists.
Kucherov is Lightning all-time assist leader
Kucherov is Tampa Bay’s all-time leader in assists with 642. Headman is second with 630. Kucherov’s 359 goals are the fourth in Lightning history. He is behind Stamkos (555), Vincent Lecavalier of Ice Bizard, Quebec (383), and Martin St. Louis of Laval, Quebec (365).
Not going to the Olympics
Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia will not be competing in men’s hockey at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo. There is no doubt Russia would have been a medal contender if they did go. The Russia team would have also included Kucherov, his Lightning teammate and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, along with Alexander Ovechkin, Artemi Panarin, Mikhail Sergachev, Kirill Kaprizov, and Valeri Nichushkin.
Lightning slow out of the gate
Saturday was only the second time this season the Lightning won a game. Their first win came on October 13 in a 4-3 Tampa Bay win over the Boston Bruins. In both wins, it has not been Vasilevskiy in net, but Jonas Johansson of Gavle, Sweden. On Saturday, Johansson made 37 saves.
