"It was like an accident": How Nikita Kucherov unwittingly became a 2-time Stanley Cup winner due to his mother's employment at a rink

Nikita Kucherov, the Tampa Bay Lightning's alternate captain, is one of the best forwards in the NHL's modern era. The Russian has won the coveted Stanley Cup twice in his career, but many fans are unaware of how Kucherov got into hockey.

Kucherov was born in Maykop, Russia, before moving to Moscow at a young age. Svetlana Kucherov, Nikita's mother, took him with her one day to search for work so she could support her family.

It appears that Nikita was destined to be a hockey player, because his mother got the opportunity to work at a hockey rink and it proved to be a crucial turning point for a young Nikita.

"It was like an accident," Kucherov told NHL.com via a translator. "We moved to Moscow and my mother went to look for a job and we were passing a hockey rink and she went there and got work and decided to bring me to play hockey."

Kucherov got the opportunity to hone his hockey skills at the rink and began his career with Krasnaya in the Russian Junior Hockey League as well as CSKA Moscow. Kucherov's performances improved significantly over time, and he delivered his best performance during the World U-18 Championship, attracting the attention of NHL scouts.

"He came up from nowhere," NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb told NHL.com. "I saw him in August, saw him in November, saw him in February, and in August and November you could hardly notice him. In February he was the star on the team and in April he was the star of the tournament."

A look into the NHL journey of Nikita Kucherov

New Jersey Devils v Tampa Bay Lightning

After spending five seasons in the Russian Junior Hockey League, Kucherov developed his skill enough to be regarded as a top prospect in the draft. In the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Nikita Kucherov was selected 58th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Kucherov made his NHL debut during the 2013-14 season where he played 52 games. He has since played a total of 644 games in nine seasons in the league, racking up a total of 729 points (276 goals and 453 assists).

Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and Hart Memorial Trophy in the same year (2019) and back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.