The ceiling for Kucherov is the sky. Tampa head coach praises star – NHL News – Hockey

John Cooper, who broke a record last season (with Scotty Bowman in Detroit in 1995/96), won 62 wins, was named for the best coach of the season but was beaten by the coach Islanders chief Barry Trottz. . After the individual awards ceremony, only the winners were available for the journalists, but we managed to talk to Cooper from Kucherov the day before.

– Do you think Kucherov can score more points than 128 in the season?

– I think the "ceiling" for Heap is heaven. I have been watching him for all the years since he became a member of the team and I see that his performance is increasing every year. Play his part and the fact that the league is trying to improve performance, taking some steps for that. And guys like Kuch get dividends.

He has special qualities and he is an unusual player, one of a kind. I can not say for sure that he will score more points than today, but he is capable of it. In addition, the league creates the right conditions for that.

– Every season, he gets stronger and stronger. Explain for his personal work during the off season or Something to others?

"There are many reasons for this." First of all no one comes into the NHL and does not start to dominate it immediately. You must some time to learn, understand everything about this league. Your body should be improved, you should recognize the other players, the game systems of different clubs, establish a "chemistry" with the partners. All this huge amount of nuances takes time and patience.

Kuch has always been very good to us, but he needed to debug all those moments in order to fully manifest all his qualities. Over time, he adapted himself. And, of course, it has helped a lot of work that he has accomplished throughout these years.

– He was not seen as a potential superstar when it all started. The 58th issue of the project is proof of this.

– Here we must understand one important thing. The draft is not an exact science. Even when players choose their first, second and third numbers, there is no guarantee that they will become the first players in this league. And vice versa. Look at our team alone. Heap was chosen at the end of the second round. Brayden Point – in the third. Anthony Cirelli – also in the third. Ondřej Palát – usually seventh.

There are many talented players around the world. And it is extremely difficult to predict when they will turn 18, how things are going to be. Kuch was showing talented flashes, to which many NHL club officials paid attention, otherwise he would not have been chosen in the second round. all the same quite high. But the real takeoff started after.

– Will you take it as a personal insult if Kucherov does not receive the Hart Trophy?

– (Smiles) I hope not to have to do it and he will win.