Lightning's Kunitz ranks Kucherov among hockey's elite

Chris Kunitz knows a thing or two about playing with greatness, and it didn't take long for him to recognize it in a new teammate.

The Tampa Bay Lightning winger spent years on Sidney Crosby's wing, both with the Pittsburgh Penguins and on the international level. These days, he sees something special in Nikita Kucherov.

"(Alex Ovechkin) is that elite shooter. (Crosby) is the workhorse," Kunitz said Monday after a win over Washington, per Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "But there's an elite level that Kucherov plays in the game. Scoring big goals at big times is something not very many guys have in this league, and it's something you have to want. And he definitely wants that."

That was on full display Monday in the third period against the Capitals, where with his team down by a goal, Kucherov tied things up with what the NHL social media team described as "a ridiculous display of skill."

They're not wrong.

Kucherov later drew the primary assist on the overtime winner scored by Brayden Point.

Kunitz added Kucherov is a lot like Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, in that he thrives with the puck on his stick.

"He can control the tempo of the game," Kunitz said.

Kucherov recorded career highs in goals (40), assists (45), and total points (85) last season, and he's recorded three goals and two assists in three games to start 2017-18.