Nikita Kucherov is the best player in the world, according to his longtime agent, Dan Milstein.
Speaking exclusively to Daria Mironova of FL Teams, Milstein praised Kucherov following the second Hart Trophy of his career, highlighting the Tampa Bay Lightning star’s relentless work ethic and constant drive to improve.
“In my opinion, he’s the best player in the world, and I don’t think many people would argue with that,” Milstein said. “Every offseason, he prepares to come back better than he was the previous season. That’s simply who he is.”
Milstein also celebrated Andrei Vasilevskiy’s second Vezina Trophy, saying both Lightning stars earned their awards after outstanding seasons.
“I’m very happy for both Andrei and Nikita. They both deserved it,” Milstein said. “Individual awards are great, but for players like them, winning the Stanley Cup is always the priority.”
Kucherov and his team knew about the upcoming achievement before it was announced publicly.
“We knew he was going to win it (Hart Trophy) two or three weeks before the ceremony,” he said. “He deserved it. In my opinion, he’s the kind of player who should be in that conversation every single year.”
When asked about Kucherov’s future in Tampa Bay as his contract moves closer to expiration, Milstein declined to speculate.
“He has a valid contract with the Lightning, so there’s nothing to discuss right now,” he said.
Milstein made the comments while hosting Gold Star Camp in South Florida, one of hockey’s premier pre-draft showcases, where representatives from all 32 NHL clubs gathered to evaluate top prospects ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo.