Nikita Kucherov may be one of the quietest superstars in the NHL. He does not like to talk to media. He does not go on podcasts or do long-form interviews. In fact, his most viral moment came after the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup, and he showed up to the postgame interview shirtless with a beer in hand. Many realized at that point that Kucherov has a personality, but he just keeps it to himself.
Despite Kucherov’s best efforts, the media spotlight has shone on him this year. His stellar performance (90 points in 53 games) has him in contention for the Hart Memorial Trophy. His lackluster, indifferent, blasé (insert another adjective here) approach during All-Star Weekend drew ire from fans. His comments about Russia and the Olympics sparked debate. Needless to say, people are watching Kucherov—for one reason or another.
Maybe, just maybe, there is a method to Kucherov’s madness, his dealings with the media, and how he presents himself on the ice. We are, after all, discussing a two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Art Ross Trophy winner, and Hart Trophy winner. Looking closely at why Kucherov has recently made headlines reveals that he is the ultimate competitor who knows when to show up and how to deliver.
Toronto Boos, Kucherov Laughs
If you watched the All-Star Skills Competition, you inevitably saw Kucherov’s less-than-engaged effort in the passing and stick-handling competitions. Fans booed. Kucherov waved and, as Tom Gulitti wrote, “embraced playing the villain.” His action certainly sparked drastically different reactions. Some asserted he should lose the Hart Trophy (although I never knew All-Star performances factored into regular season awards). Teammates, fellow NHLers, and Lightning fans laughed it off. Most agreed that NHL executives were probably not thrilled.
As a Lightning and Kucherov fan, I was not surprised by his antics. Sometimes, if we are honest, it looks like he does not care during games. He skates around looking disengaged or even like he is not paying attention. Next thing you know, he is leading a rush and saucing a pass over a defender’s stick for Brayden Point to score. You are left saying, “Wasn’t Kucherov 50 feet away from the puck a few seconds ago?” It turns out that Kucherov was paying attention. He was paying more attention than you or me, and he was planning ahead about 15 steps.
Now, I am not arguing that deep down, Kucherov cared about the skills competition. Clearly, he did not. But I do think that his laissez-faire attitude is what makes him exceptional in the very literal sense of the word. Few players can lull opponents and fans into a false sense of security or even become lost entirely on the ice.
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Jeff Marek put it best, “That’s kind of part of his game — lulling people into believing he really doesn’t care at that moment. Then, snap! That’s actually part of his game. Convincing people that he’s something that he is not. That’s how he plays. You think I’m going to do this? No, I’m going to do that. You expect me to do this. No, I’m going to do something else.”
Kucherov competes, takes over, and dominates games on his terms. He does not want the spotlight, and he certainly does not care what opposing fans think. Elliotte Friedman, Marek’s cohost, approached Kucherov during All-Star Weekend, saying, “I want you to come on the pod.” To which Kucherov responded, “I’m really not that big on podcasts.” That response epitomizes Kucherov’s attitude.
Kucherov Comments on the Olympics
If you do not think Kucherov cares or competes, his comments on the 2026 Olympics reveal the opposite. It seems unlikely that Russia will be permitted to play since they have been banned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The IIHF extended the ban through 2025. Nikita Kucherov, along with fellow Russian NHL players Andrei Vasilevskiy, Artemi Panarin, and Andrei Svechnikov, have never played in the Olympics — a fact that clearly eats away at Kucherov.
Asked at All-Star weekend, “What’s it mean to have NHL players going to the Olympics the next two Olympics?” Kucherov immediately responded, “Is Team Russia going?” The reporter responded, “We don’t know yet. How important is that to you?” Kucherov laughed, shrugged his shoulders, and replied, “I want to go. Ever since I was a kid I [watched the] Olympics and dreamed of [being] a part of [one]. It sucks to not participate in one. Hopefully, my fingers crossed, Team Russia [is] going to be in the Olympics. And it’s going to be a real, real best-vs-best because when Team Russia is not out there, it’s not the same.”
That does not sound like a man who could take it or leave it. No. Clearly, Kucherov wants to win at every level, whether that be at the Olympics or in the NHL. With this in mind, Kucherov’s All-Star performance begins to make more sense. He shows up when it matters. Silly skills competitions mean little to him. That may frustrate you as a fan because you want to see the best players in the world perform. I am sorry to say that Kucherov does not care. Stanley Cups and Gold Medals fill his dreams — not $1 million checks earned for skating through an obstacle course.
Kucherov: The Ultimate Competitor
The more I watch Nikita Kucherov, the more I am convinced that he is a rare, rare type of player. He simultaneously stirs fans to praise, awe, anger, and confusion. If you love him, you love what he did during the skills competition, and his comments on the Olympics come as no surprise. If you do not like him, his disengagement further reinforces your disdain.
Regardless, you cannot accuse Kucherov of a lack of compete. Teammates, former and current, testify to this. One quote from Kucherov himself shows how he approaches the game. Discussing the hours and hours of hockey videos he devours to broaden and fortify his skills, he said, “Maybe some guys go out drinking. I just want to watch the shifts” (from ‘Behind Nikita Kucherov’s MVP-level masterpiece of a season: ‘Art on Ice’,’ The Athletic, Feb. 15, 2024). His persona, exemplified during All-Star Weekend, is exactly the opposite of the man and player who shows up to the rink every day. Obviously, given all he has accomplished, this formula is working.