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For one reason or another, Russian born NHL prospects scare off teams as the “Russian Factor” leads to players falling in the draft on an annual basis. A lot of this has to do with the overstated notion that Russian players will get “happy feet” — ask New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators fans about Ilya Kovalchuk and Alex Radulov respectively — but this is entirely overblown. One player that fell in the draft as a result of this idiotic theory is Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who is making other teams look foolish for being so naïve.
In only his second full season of pro hockey, the 21-year old Kucherov quietly found himself in the top 30 in league scoring with 65 points, as the high-flying Lightning were among the East’s best teams. Kucherov fell to the Lightning with the 58th pick of the 2011 NHL Draft despite putting up dominant offensive numbers at home and internationally — because of the “Russian Factor.” Lightning GM Steve Yzerman, who played alongside the “Russian Five” with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990s scooped up Kucherov and the rest, as they say, is history.
With the Bolts a mere win away from their second ever trip to the Stanley Cup Fina,l Kucherov has come up clutch time and time again. Kucherov’s line with Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat has been the best in the NHL this postseason and has taken advantage of defenses putting all their focus on shutting down all-world sniper Steven Stamkos. Kucherov in particular has been the epitome of clutch, scoring two overtime winners and showing a natural ability to be in the right place at the right time in the biggest moments.
If the Lightning are to close out the Rangers and then close it out in the Final they’ll need more of the same from Kucherov. It’s a safe bet that the slick winger from Moscow will be up to the challenge and in all likelihood make his General Manager look even brighter. Yzerman threw caution to wind in drafting Kucherov along with Lightning teammates Vladislav Namestnikov, Nikita Nesterov, and Andrey Vasilevsky, and the Bolts have benefitted greatly this season. Russian players played a huge role in Stevie Y’s three Cups as a player in Detroit and no doubt will do the same if and when he wins his first as a General Manager in the Sunshine State.
