Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel alongside goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy anchor high expectations for the upcoming NHL season, according to projections published by NHL.com. Kucherov enters the campaign following a Hart Memorial Trophy-winning performance, while Vasilevskiy and Hagel look to build upon durable multi-season track records that position the Atlantic Division club as a persistent Eastern Conference power.
Nikita Kucherov Projected for Elite Production
Nikita Kucherov enters the upcoming NHL season following a campaign where he captured his second career Hart Memorial Trophy, according to NHL.com. Kucherov previously won the Hart award during the 2018-19 season. Last year, the veteran winger matched a career high with 44 goals, ranking eighth overall in the NHL, while his 130 points placed second in the league. That output followed a 144-point performance during the 2023-24 season.
According to NHL.com statistics tracking play since the 2022-23 season, Kucherov ranks second across the entire league with 508 total points across 317 games, trailing only Connor McDavid. Kucherov also shares the league lead with McDavid in assists with 353 over that span, while recording 186 power-play points, also second behind McDavid. Having already secured three Art Ross Trophies in 2018-19, 2023-24, and 2024-25, Kucherov remains a consensus top-five selection in fantasy hockey drafts regardless of league format.
Andrei Vasilevskiy Targets Milestone Victory Season
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy aims for his tenth 30-win season after securing his second career Vezina Trophy last year, according to NHL.com. Vasilevskiy, who previously won the Vezina in 2018-19, led the NHL with 39 victories against 15 losses and 4 overtime or shootout defeats last season. Among goaltenders with a minimum of 25 appearances, the 32-year-old netminder finished second overall with a 2.31 goals-against average and tied for third with a .912 save percentage.
Vasilevskiy leads all active NHL goaltenders with nine separate 30-win campaigns. That streak of nine straight seasons with at least 30 victories places him second in league history behind Martin Brodeur, who accomplished the feat 12 times. Because the Lightning maintain their status as a competitive force in the Eastern Conference and Vasilevskiy routinely handles a heavy starter’s workload, NHL.com projects the veteran goaltender to reach the 30-win threshold once again.
Brandon Hagel Seeks Continued Two-Way Growth
Forward Brandon Hagel establishes himself as a vital offensive and physical contributor for Tampa Bay after setting a career high with 36 goals last season, according to NHL.com. Hagel has reached the 70-point plateau in three consecutive campaigns, punctuated by a 74-point output in 71 games last year and a 90-point campaign (35 goals, 55 assists in 82 games) during the 2024-25 season. The 27-year-old forward has eclipsed 25 goals and 175 shots on goal in each of the past four seasons.
According to NHL.com data covering the last four combined seasons, Hagel stands as one of only three NHL players to accumulate at least 120 goals (127), 300 points (303), 220 hits (224), and 200 blocked shots (201). The other two players meeting those multi-category thresholds are Auston Matthews and Sam Reinhart. Poolers value Hagel for his consistently high plus-minus rating, and projections indicate that maintaining good health alongside increased power-play deployment could unlock another offensive gear for the winger.
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