Nikita Kucherov fully embraces his role as the NHL's newest villain with '$18M over the cap' shirt
There might not be an NHL player more hated than Nikita Kucherov right now.
First it was his tirade against Montreal Canadiens fans - and Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury - in his postgame press conference after the Tampa Bay Lightning repeated as Stanley Cup champions.
Now, Kucherov has gone full heel in the best way possible. On Sunday, Kucherov posted a picture of himself out on a boat holding both the Stanley Cup and the Lombardi Trophy, won by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in the year.
While a neat picture on its own, it's the shirt Kucherov is wearing that has produced the most waves out of hockey fans.
The shirt reads "18M over the cap" with a drawing of Kucherov drinking a beer at his postgame presser.
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The reference is to Kucherov spending the entire regular season on Long Term Injured Reserve after offseason hip surgery, allowing the team to exceed the salary cap and keep the 2020 championship core together. He returned in Game 1 of the playoffs and led postseason scorers with 32 points.
Kucherov is flipping the script and proudly flaunting his team's incredibly legal and smart - yet a smidge dishonest - roster maneuvers for the world to see.
I, personally, love Kucherov embracing his villain status since winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. The hockey world needs its heroes and villains, and Kucherov is playing his part to perfection.