The NHL season is over, the Stanley Cup has been awarded. Now it’s time to return to the regular season.
Nikita Kucherov will — finally — get his individual due. He likely will be awarded the Hart Trophy, given to the league’s MVP, on Wednesday night during the NHL Awards show, airing at 8 p.m. on NBCSN.
That won’t be the salve to his or fans’ disappointment in the spectacular failure that was the Lightning’s playoff showing, or playoff invisibility. But it doesn’t need to.
The NHL Awards recognize the regular season, and that was when the Lightning shined.