Nikita Igorevich Kucherov is an ice hockey right winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL), who was born on 17th June 1993. He is a Russian Professional Ice Hockey player. He is regarded as one of the top players in the world. He has won the Ted Lindsay Award for the best player in the NHL for the 2018–19 season, the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer, and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.
Early Life
Kucherov was born in the Russian town of Maykop to Igor Kucherov and Svetlana Kucherova. Due to his father’s military service in Uruguay, he was frequently away from home. When Kucherov was seven years old, his mother left her small son behind with her mother(Kucherov’s grandmother) and moved to Uruguay to live with her husband. She visited Kucherov once a year, and she broke down in tears when she met her son.
In his native Russia, where he first played hockey professionally, Kucherov got his start. He played in the Kontinental Hockey League for CSKA Moscow. He had previously played for the White Bears and Silver Sharks, though. Kucherov moved to North America, where he played major junior hockey and picked up the language. He played hockey for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the Quebec Major Junior League.
Nikita Kucherov NHL Career
There is a certain journey that made him the best player today. Nikita Kucherov, a right winger, is unquestionably one of the team’s most adored players and is renowned for his skill, ferocious attacks, and powerful shoots. In terms of his playing career, he began by joining the CSKA Moscow and the Kontinental Hockey League. Later, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected him in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
After the draft, he agreed to a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL franchise. He scored his first goal against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers on 25th November 2013. The next year, he scored against Mike Smith of the Arizona Coyotes to record his first hat-trick of the season. He had his breakthrough in the 2014–2015 campaign, scoring 29 goals, 36 assists, and 65 points.
On 20th May, he joined Martin St. Louis as the only player in Tampa history to score two game-winning goals in overtime. The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed the young Kucherov on 11th October 2016 to a 3-year contract worth $4,766 million per season. Throughout the season, Kucherov scored numerous career-high goals while also skating for the 17th Stanley Cup playoff.
Kucherov was his team’s scoring and point leader. Additionally, he finished the circle for goals and was sixth in playoff points. Kucherov was selected to play for the Atlantic side in the 2017 NHL All-Star game on 10th January.
Slowly he rose in his career; on 18th March, Kucherov recorded 100 goals in his NHL career.
Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
2010 | Russia | IH18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
2011 | Russia | U18 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 6 |
2012 | Russia | WJC | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
2013 | Russia | WJC | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
2016 | Russia | WCH | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
2017 | Russia | WC | 10 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 8 |
2019 | Russia | WC | 10 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 4 |
Junior totals | 25 | 19 | 19 | 38 | 14 | ||
Senior totals | 24 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 12 |
Nikita Kucherov Endorsements and Salary
In addition to having a $20 million net worth, the Russian sportsman inked a $76 million, six-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018. Before the $20 million contract, he previously inked a $14.3 million contract with the team. Kucherov and Adidas agreed to a multi-year partnership.
He has already made more than $28 million from his career games alone. In addition to advancing his career, he has a variety of assets. He has a home in Florida’s Beach Park community worth $1,995,000 million and is 5,668 square feet.
Nikita Kucherov Net Worth
As of 2020, the right winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning is predicted to make $20 million. Since he started playing hockey in 2011, Kucherov has enjoyed a great deal of success. His earnings from the Tampa Bay Lightning are somewhere approximately $12 million.
His earnings are expected to increase to $104 million sometime during the 2026–2027 season. His reputation in the NHL has grown considerably due to his numerous awards and recognitions as the league’s most valuable player. In the future years, his net worth is certain to increase significantly.
Name | Nikita Igorevich Kucherov, a.k.a, Nikita Kucherov |
Age | 29 years |
Birth Place | Maykop Russia |
Birth Date | June 17, 1993 |
Height | 180 cm |
Profession | Professional Ice Hockey Player |
Team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
Net Worth | $20 million |
Last Updated | August 2022 |