Biography
Even when Nikita Kucherov was a child, his parents knew that he would achieve heights in sports, and was not mistaken. Although the hockey player did not find recognition in his homeland, he became the NHL star and the idols of millions of fans.Childhood and youth
Nikita Igorevich was born in the city of Maykop (Republic of Adygea) on June 17, 1993. The father of the boy is a military, colonel of the Russian army, the mother in the past was engaged in sports gymnastics, but left his career because of the injury and devoted himself to the family. Nikita is their younger child, he grew up with Brother Denis.
Kucher was still quite small when the Father sent to serve in Turkmenistan, and then to Moscow. The wife and children moved after him, juts in a tiny apartment. There, the boy made the first steps in sports, I was interested in everything - from basketball to tennis.
Because Denis was engaged in football, Mom decided to take there and the youngest son. But the coach said that Nikita was still too small, so Svetlana bought him rollers and led to the skating rink "Silver sharks" to record on hockey. Already then it was clear that in this sport the boy will become a star, but first they refused to be taken due to the lack of skates.
There was no money from the family, and the mother of celebrities decided to get on the roller with a cleaner, hoping that employees issue uniforms, but it was not. But Svetlana met Gennady Kurdin, who undertook to do with the boy. Skates later bought in debt.
The coach taught Nikita to discipline, could and shry, but only to achieve the result from the pupil. Under his leadership, a small hockey player learned to give passes and score goals. As soon as the mentor moved to another school, "White Bears", Kucherov went after him.
The athlete was 7 years old when the Father was sent to the service in Uruguay. The family had to go with him again, but seeing like a son I loved hockey, Svetlana came to consult with the coach. He suggested to leave the boy to the care of her grandmother so that he could continue to do. Mom was afraid to destroy the heir's career and agreed.
Nikita missed her parents, but the sport had already occupied a significant place in his life. He was ready to get up at 5 am to catch training in front of the school, and then leaving lessons and went on skating rink again. During this period, he closers even more with the Kurdin, which took him to bring it to classes. One day, Gennady asked for a joke, whether the pupil would buy him a good car when he reaches heights, and Kucher replied affirmatively. After years, he fulfilled the promise, giving a new Land Cruiser to the mentor.
But before the worldwide recognition was still far away. A teenager Nikita did not differ in large dimensions and was engaged in a group with boys who were older than a year. I had to compensate for the lag with a bright game, which he succeeded. The fans came to matches only in order to look at their tandem with Nikita Gusev, who became a close friend for the star.
Carier start
The young athlete could play for Dynamo, but when he came to watch, he was not even allowed for the gate. Later hockey player was invited to the Youth Club "Red Army". In MHL Nikita established himself as a capable player and soon got a chance to show himself in the KHL.CSKA Kucherov debuted on the game against Dynamo from Riga. But in the summer of 2011, the athlete under the general 58th number was stuck the club "Tampa Bay Lighting", which put it before choosing. For a while, the player burst between MHL and KHL, but the shoulder injury received at the subway Super Series affected the solution to change the league.
CSKA doctors assured an athlete that there is a frivolous damage, and even accused of pretending and reluctance to play. After a more thorough examination, it became clear that Nikita needs an operation, but the leaders of the Moscow club refused to pay it. But in "Tampa" immediately aroused to make a solution to the problem of ourselves. For a long time without thinking, Kucherov went abroad.
Some time, the player performed in AHL as part of the Quebec RemPard team. But because of the limit on the legionnaires, he almost did not receive playing time. In addition, it was not possible to find a common language with the coach, and Nikita asked him to exchange it. So hockey player was in Ruen-Noranda Khaskis, where he improved statistics.
NHL
In the fall of 2013, the captain of the main composition of Tampa-Bay Lighting was seriously injured, as a result of which it urgently needed a replacement. Kucher was the best candidate. In the first match, Nikita scored a goal to the Gate "New York Rangers". After that, he distinguished itself to the bright game and the realization of post-match Bullites. According to the results of the season in the NHL, the Russian hockey player earned 18 points in 58 games.
In the autumn of next year, the team mentor decided to unite Kucherov with an Ondřezha Chamber and Tyler Johnson. Their link showed good performance and began to be called "triples". Soon after that, the athlete for the first time in his sports biography made Hat Trick during the match with Arizona Koiotis. When calculating the utility factor, Nikita divided the 1st place with Max Pachioreretti. In the future, he only improved the indicator.
It is not surprising that in 2016 the club management wished to extend the contract with the player. He was offered a salary of $ 4.7 million a year, and many decided that the athlete of this level was too extended. But he wanted to entrenched in the composition, and in "Tampa", devotion was appreciated. Over time, the amount of payments increased to $ 9.5 million.
After Stephen Stamkos was injured, Kucherov was recognized as a team leader. He repeatedly became a star of the week and entered the number of Russian players aged 23 and the younger than 40 goals per season.
The period of 2017/18 began for an athlete from the head of the head, which lasted 7 matches, but after that he remained productive. The result was part in the match of all stars and overcoming the mark of 100 points obtained during the regular championship.
The next year was also rich as rich in rewards and achievements, but the Triumphal for the player was the 2020th. His team won the Stanley Cup, which is the dream of each hockey player. In an interview with GQ, Kucherov admitted that when he first took a reward in his hands, it seemed to be unreal. But success overshadowed the hip injury received during the playoffs. Due to damage to Nikita could no longer play, the operation and restoration took.
Russian team
Although Kucherov became a star in the United States, he continued to represent his native country at the international level. In 2011, the player received a challenge to the Junior Russian national team and won the 1st bronze medal at the World Championships. He was also recognized as the best forward: according to official statistics, he scored 21 points for 7 matches.Next year, already as a player of the youth team, Kucherov again went to the world championship and brought silver from there. At adult level, he first helped the national team to win the medal in 2017. Then the Russians went home with bronze. They repeated this achievement 2 years later.
Hockey player had the opportunity to get to the Winter Olympic Games in Pytenchhan, but due to the fact that in NHL refused to adjust the schedule of matches, he was forced to skip this tournament.
Personal life
The personal life of the athlete has developed successfully, he is happy in marriage, Anastasia is his wife. Spouses met, even when Nikita lived in Moscow, and soon the girl went beyond the ocean after the beloved. In 2019, the elect gave birth to the player of the Son, which was called Max. Now the hockey player pleases family photos of instagram-account subscribers.
Nikita Kucher now
In 2021, the athlete returned to ice after suffering injury, in total he did not play 230 days. But already during the first match, the player issued a double and distinguished himself with an effective transfer than caused delight of fans.And in the next game, the athlete once again did not get damage after the opponent hit him with his knee. Fans were seriously concerned about the state of the idol, but a few days later, May 23, he once managed to surprise them. During a meeting with Florida Panther, hockey player helped "Tampa" to win with a score of 4: 0. As a result, he scored 11 points and headed the ranking of the best scorers of the Stanley Cup, and also broke his own record.
Awards and achievements
- 2011 - Bronze Medal at the Junior World Cup
- 2012 - Silver Medal at the World Youth Championship
- 2017 - Bronze Medal at the World Cup
- 2019 - Bronze Medal at the World Cup
- 2019 - Best World Championship striker
- 2020 - Prince Welsh Prize Prize