Nikita Kucherov wins the Hart Trophy

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov won multiple awards at the 2019 NHL Awards the way he consistently put up multiple points during the 2018-19 regular season.
The 26-year-old right wing was selected as the winner of the Hart Trophy in Las Vegas Wednesday night, an award given to the player judged by the Professional Hockey Writers Association to be the most valuable to his team. Kucherov is the second Lightning player to earn the honor. Martin St. Louis was the 2004 recipient.

Kucherov completed the trifecta at the NHL Awards after winning the Ted Lindsay Award (MVP as voted by the players) earlier in the evening and being recognized for the Art Ross Trophy as the League's scoring champion during the regular season.
"Really honored to receive this award and so humbled to be up here again," Kucherov said during his acceptance speech. "I'd like to thank my family and my beautiful wife, our son for all the unconditional love and support. Without you guys, I wouldn't be here. Love you guys. Thanks to our fans. You guys are amazing. Love you guys. Also like to thank my teammates, coaches, all the trainers as well as our ownership and the Tampa Bay Lightning organization for everything you do for us and for your support. A big part of this award goes to you guys. Thanks."

Kucherov was the overwhelming choice for the Hart after receiving 164 of 171 first-place votes and 1,677 points overall. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby was the runner-up with 739 points and Edmonton's Connor McDavid came in third with 465 points.
The Maykop, Russia native set Lightning franchise records for power-play points (48), assists (87) and scoring (128) in 2018-19 and finished with the most points in the NHL since the 1995-96 season. Kucherov took over the League scoring chase on December 27 and never relinquished the lead. He had at least one point in 62 of 82 games and registered a NHL-best 38 multi-point games, the most in the League since Sidney Crosby put up the same total in 2006-07.
Kucherov's 128 points were the most ever in the NHL by a Russian-born player and the 10th-most all-time in a single season by a winger.
Kucherov joins St. Louis as Lightning players capturing the Hart, Art Ross and Ted Lindsay all in the same season.
Steven Stamkos received one second-place vote and came in 14th in voting for the Hart. Brayden Point (21st) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (tied for 22nd) also earned votes. The Lightning were the only team with four players tallying votes for the Hart Trophy (St. Louis, Boston, Calgary and Vegas each had two).