Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois has insisted his team will not trade Nikita Kucherov despite reports the superstar winger has requested to be moved.
“We are aware of media reports regarding Nikita Kucherov’s future with the Lightning. We unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita,” BriseBois said in a statement Friday evening.
Sources told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that Kucherov informed the team he would not re-sign this summer and wanted to be traded. The NHL MVP made the request Friday during a meeting with BriseBois and his agent Dan Milstein, then shared it with his Lightning teammates on their flight to Nashville, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
The 33-year-old will continue to play for the Lightning pending a possible trade, LeBrun reports.
“Nikita has spoken to all parties involved and there is nothing further to add at this time,” Milstein told LeBrun in response to BriseBois’ statement.
Kucherov earns $9.5 million in the final year of his contract. In his now-stalled extension talks with the Lightning, he was asking for a six-year extension with an average annual value of about $20 million, sources told Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
His current deal includes a modified no-trade clause providing for 10 teams he would approve a trade to, according to LeBrun. The teams on his list are not yet known.
Kucherov spent his entire 13-year NHL career in Tampa, where he led the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Last week, he passed Steven Stamkos to become the franchise’s all-time scoring leader. He also has the most assists in Lightning history and ranks second in goals behind Stamkos.
Kucherov’s distinguished career includes two Hart Trophies, five first-team All-Star selections, three Art Ross Trophies and six 100-point seasons. His 144 points in 2023-24 are the single-season record for a player of Russian origin.
Kucherov has four goals, 15 points and 11 assists in his first 12 games this season.
The Lightning have made the playoffs in nine straight seasons and 12 of the last 13, winning two Stanley Cups and reaching the Finals four times during that span. However, they haven’t advanced past the first round since 2021-22, when they lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Colorado Avalanche.
Tampa Bay entered Friday ranked third in the Atlantic Division with an 8-3-1 record.
Gn sports
