Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 
Forums :: Blog World :: Michael Stuart: Playoff Player Grades: Nikita Kucherov
Author Message
Michael Stuart
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Edmonton, AB
Joined: 09.09.2020

Nov 15 @ 4:59 PM ET
Michael Stuart: Playoff Player Grades: Nikita Kucherov
stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Nov 15 @ 5:32 PM ET
He was consistently targeted for hard checks, slashes, etc and he kept his cool, didn't get frustrated and most importantly forced the defenders to respect him which open up other parts of the ice allowing Point, Palat and his D men to engage in dangerous areas and score goals. He was more then willing to facilitate the play then be the finisher but also finished when needed.

Kucherov has matured and with that comes a dangerously gifted and determined winger for years to come for the Bolts.
Justbecause
Location: World, ON
Joined: 02.08.2020

Nov 15 @ 7:22 PM ET
He was consistently targeted for hard checks, slashes, etc and he kept his cool, didn't get frustrated and most importantly forced the defenders to respect him which open up other parts of the ice allowing Point, Palat and his D men to engage in dangerous areas and score goals. He was more then willing to facilitate the play then be the finisher but also finished when needed.

Kucherov has matured and with that comes a dangerously gifted and determined winger for years to come for the Bolts.

- stammerman


Ditto!
Tedge77
New York Islanders
Joined: 02.17.2019

Nov 15 @ 7:58 PM ET
He was consistently targeted for hard checks, slashes, etc and he kept his cool, didn't get frustrated and most importantly forced the defenders to respect him which open up other parts of the ice allowing Point, Palat and his D men to engage in dangerous areas and score goals. He was more then willing to facilitate the play then be the finisher but also finished when needed.

Kucherov has matured and with that comes a dangerously gifted and determined winger for years to come for the Bolts.

- stammerman

He wasn't targeted he was called for the penalties. Hes not a victim spare us
apex123
Montreal Canadiens
Joined: 06.23.2016

Nov 15 @ 11:41 PM ET
I don't think it's fair to say he doesn't get credit around the league. I think you'd have a hard time finding anybody disputing he's the best RW in the league and hell a case can be made he's straight up the best winger in the league.
Nighthawk
Vancouver Canucks
Location: Canuckville, BC
Joined: 01.09.2015

Nov 16 @ 6:32 AM ET
Kucherov isn’t underrated at all. Easily top 10 in the league. Stamkos is overrated if anything & gets too much credit.
Hesh_
Philadelphia Flyers
Joined: 07.29.2013

Nov 16 @ 7:21 AM ET
15% gave him an F? Grow up, man. That was A+ output. A at minimum, but even then you’re selling him short.

I don’t think he’s sold short league wide, even if a few trolls wanna tank him. No doubt if you’re making a team from scratch and you get your pick of the litter, you wouldn’t choose him as your starting RW if you’re being objective about it. Subjectively? Sure. Pasternak and Rantanen are fantastic. Kane is a future HOFer. Marner is gonna rack up the helpers. But nobody is going to touch Kucherov for present all around production. He’s presently top dog in that slot.
Cptmjl
New York Islanders
Joined: 11.05.2011

Nov 16 @ 8:25 AM ET
He wasn't targeted he was called for the penalties. Hes not a victim spare us
- Tedge77

He is easily one of if not best wingers in the league but yeah. Saying he was targeted for cheap shots is laughable. While being one of if not the best wingers in the league he’s also one of the dirtiest. Guy is an absolute piece of crap wish he were an Islander
Tedge77
New York Islanders
Joined: 02.17.2019

Nov 16 @ 5:19 PM ET
He is easily one of if not best wingers in the league but yeah. Saying he was targeted for cheap shots is laughable. While being one of if not the best wingers in the league he’s also one of the dirtiest. Guy is an absolute piece of crap wish he were an Islander
- Cptmjl

Agreed I'd take him in a minute but he does unnecessary stuff on the ice. Like the uncalled slash on the empty net. Don't cry about being targeted when you actually doing the things you're being called for.
stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Nov 16 @ 5:45 PM ET
He wasn't targeted he was called for the penalties. Hes not a victim spare us
- Tedge77

I watched the entire playoffs, the opposing teams all targeted him as the person to defend and hit when his line was on the ice... you are taking the word targeted out of context, I am not saying anything was illegal that was done to him but he had the bullseye on his back when the opposing team was defending his line. Never said he was a victim either so spare me with your response.
stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Nov 16 @ 5:47 PM ET
He is easily one of if not best wingers in the league but yeah. Saying he was targeted for cheap shots is laughable. While being one of if not the best wingers in the league he’s also one of the dirtiest. Guy is an absolute piece of crap wish he were an Islander
- Cptmjl



Where in my response did I say he was targeted for cheap shots. Checks, slashes, grabbing, holding are all common in today's game. He was targeted as the guy to defend when his line was on the ice and he played thru it and the team was better off for it. I guess using the word targeted automatically makes people think I am referring to cheap shots, I am not its just the correct adjective to describe the person who the defense focused on to stop.
stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Nov 16 @ 5:51 PM ET
Agreed I'd take him in a minute but he does unnecessary stuff on the ice. Like the uncalled slash on the empty net. Don't cry about being targeted when you actually doing the things you're being called for.
- Tedge77

Again I like how its all the Islander's fans here. Where did I say he was targeted illegally. He was the focus of the defense when he was on the ice, he fought thru that an matured. For (frank)'s sake targeted is an adjective to say that the defense focused on shutting him down and taking away his ice.
Leafsandbolts
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Bradenton, Florida, FL
Joined: 08.14.2010

Nov 16 @ 6:42 PM ET
Kuch should get an A+ for championship partying!
stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Nov 16 @ 6:47 PM ET
Kuch should get an A+ for championship partying!
- Leafsandbolts

To force the owner of the team to chug a beer live on stage takes some balls... I could not stop laughing when he did that.
Tedge77
New York Islanders
Joined: 02.17.2019

Nov 16 @ 6:59 PM ET
Again I like how its all the Islander's fans here. Where did I say he was targeted illegally. He was the focus of the defense when he was on the ice, he fought thru that an matured. For (frank)'s sake targeted is an adjective to say that the defense focused on shutting him down and taking away his ice.
- stammerman


I'm not the only one who misunderstood your statement. And 99% of superstar players have to deal with that.
stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Nov 16 @ 8:58 PM ET
I'm not the only one who misunderstood your statement. And 99% of superstar players have to deal with that.
- Tedge77

Not saying other superstar players don't deal with it. Kucherov in the past would lose his cool and do stupid things and disengage from the game and cost his team. He matured and didn't let it get to him like it always did in the past and instead he took on the defense focusing on him and opened the ice for his linemates to get dangerous chances and score. Watching Kucherov since the day he entered the league it was satisfying to see him in the playoffs and not be rattled and play his game and succeed.
Tedge77
New York Islanders
Joined: 02.17.2019

Nov 16 @ 9:49 PM ET
Not saying other superstar players don't deal with it. Kucherov in the past would lose his cool and do stupid things and disengage from the game and cost his team. He matured and didn't let it get to him like it always did in the past and instead he took on the defense focusing on him and opened the ice for his linemates to get dangerous chances and score. Watching Kucherov since the day he entered the league it was satisfying to see him in the playoffs and not be rattled and play his game and succeed.
- stammerman


He is a great player. It was a very good series.
stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Nov 17 @ 2:52 PM ET
He is a great player. It was a very good series.
- Tedge77

Great series