Nikita Kucherov Becomes The First Player Since Connor McDavid To Record 100 Assists In A Single Season
Mike Carlson. Getty Images.They said it would never happen again. That the game had changed too much since the last time we saw anything like this happen. But Nikita Kucherov proved all the doubters and naysayers wrong by becoming the first player in 48 whole hours to record 100 assists in a single NHL season.
A feat that hadn't been accomplished in the league since Connor McDavid did it on Monday night. I mean, sure, McDavid was the first player to get 100 assists in a season in 33 years after Gretzky did it for the 11th time in 1991. But last time I checked, 48 is a bigger number than 33. So first to do it in 48 hours is wildly more impressive.
Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr, McDavid, Kucherov. A list that was just 3 players long last week now has 5. And the best part about it for Nikita Kucherov?
Well let's say that nobody gets 100 assists in a season for another 33 years after this. He'll always get to say that he was the last to do it for those 33 years. McJesus wasted his 100th apple too early in the week. Connor McDavid only got to enjoy 2 days of being the last one to accomplish such a rare feat in the NHL, and then Kuch came in like a lunatic he is to steal the thunder.
Sidenote: While Kucherov locked up his 100th assist of the year, Auston Matthews was out there trying to score his 70th of the season. Something that hasn't been done since Alexander Mogilny and Teemu Selanne in 1992-93. He went full Leeroy Jenkins and took 12 shots on the night, but unfortunately none of them dropped.
69 goals on the year for 34. What a meme king.