The winner will be announced at the 2019 NHL Awards presented by Bridgestone at the Mandalay Bay Events Center sports and entertainment complex in Las Vegas on June 19.
Formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, it will be presented less than four months after the death of its namesake, Hockey Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay.
McDavid won the award in each of the past two seasons after Kane became the first United States-born player to win it in 2016. Kucherov, who led the NHL in scoring this season with 128 points (41 goals, 87 assists), is a first-time finalist.
Kucherov played in all 82 regular-season games to help the Presidents' Trophy-winning Lightning tie the NHL single-season record for victories (62) while winning the Art Ross Trophy as the League's top scorer. His 128 points were an NHL career-high and the most in League history by a Russia-born player, surpassing the previous mark of 127 set by Alexander Mogilny of the Buffalo Sabres in 1992-93. Kucherov, who turns 26 on June 17, led the NHL in multipoint games (38), points per game (1.56) and power-play points (48). His 87 assists also led the NHL and matched the single-season record for most assists by a wing set by Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96. Kucherov's 41 goals were tied for second on the Lightning and tied for sixth in the NHL; his even-strength points (80) tied him with Kane for second in the NHL, one behind McDavid. Kucherov would be the second Lightning player to receive the award; Martin St. Louis won in 2003-04.