We’re finally getting around to reviewing the 2022-23 season. Instead of assigning grades or any of that nonsense, we’ll start by looking at the player’s best goal from the season and go from there. For some it’ll be easy, others have way more to choose from.
Player
Nikita Kucherov
Stat Line
82 games played, 30 goals, 83(!) assists, 271 shots, 29.1 ixG, 36 PIMs, 61 hits, 107 hits taken, 20:07 TOI
(Playoffs) 6 games played, 1 goal, 5 assists, 21 shots, 2.19 ixG, 11 PIMs, 11 hits, 13 hits taken, 20:15 TOI
Goal of the Year Video
Goal of the Year Description
This was a fun goal at the end of a blowout against Montreal where Kucherov flexed his muscles with some powerful skating up the ice, an easy forearm to push away Joel Edmundson, and some lightning quick hands to set up his forehand and roof the puck into the goal.
A lot of Kucherov’s goals this year were big shots from distance, or burying a devastating passing play into the net. But this goal was all Kuch.
My second place for Kucherov’s goal of the year were all his huge slappers. And third place were all the goals he scored on Detroit where the guy doing color sounded utterly dejected, like he wanted to go home.
How did the 2022-23 season go for them?
Watching his highlight package, Kucherov had a fun season. He loved his one-timer from the right circle, including making sure his stick was as high as the rafters so everyone knew what was coming.
I definitely think Kucherov got more chances to score this year thanks to Hagel on his opposite wing. It provided that line more mobile options to make switches and get wider across the ice – which really helped Kucherov with his one-timers. With Hagel as a less obvious net-front guy compared to Ondřej Palat, it allowed Kucherov more ability to go to the net, which increased his ixG to 1.06 per 60 minutes as a career high.
Kucherov may have sacrificed some shooting percentage by getting those low-percentage scrum shots in front of the net, but overall I think it’ll be a big plus once his shooting gets back to a career average (Kucherov shoots about 15%, but only shot 11% this season). If the luck can catch up to the more shots from better spots, we could be looking at another 40-goal season from the maestro.
2023-24 Contract Status
$9.5 million for the next four seasons and not a cent overpaid, baby! Zero qualms about this contract for a guy who can scored 30-40 goals a season and more than double that in assists. His contract will only get better as the cap goes up. And even in a flat cap era it’s been very good.
Do we expect them to score more or less next season?
Absolutely the same or more. My only question is will we get a third 40-goal season from Kucherov next year. He’s coming off his worst shooting percentage season since his rookie year while simultaneously earning the most expected goals from his shots in his career. In total, more high quality shots, with better luck should result in a higher goal-scoring season.
Enjoy the long summer, Kuch.
