Which teams are the most intriguing trade fits for Nikita Kucherov?
Whoa. Despite the fact we’ve seen captains Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk and superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck force their way off their teams, and ex-captain Dylan Larkin try to force his way off his team, in the past 10 months, the Nikita Kucherov trade request was a staggering haymaker when it dropped on Friday night.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have already established a precedent of treating the aging curve with cold calculation even if it means moving on from franchise legends, as they did Steven Stamkos in summer 2024. But this is Nikita friggin Kucherov, three-time scoring champion, two-time MVP, current reigning MVP and two-time Stanley Cup winner. The idea of the Lightning lowballing the 2027 UFA in contract talks is a surprise and, evidently, it has been quite the disappointment to him, too, though it was apparently less about the actual dollar figure. On Monday, speaking to reporters about the request for the first time, he indicated it was about “poor communication and respect” rather than money.
As sources close to the situation had previously indicated to Daily Faceoff before he spoke Monday, the request on Kucherov’s side comes entirely due to the clash with management, meaning GM Julien BriseBois, and has nothing to do with his teammates or coach Jon Cooper. That puts Kucherov in the unique situation of, unlike Larkin or Hellebuyck, still feeling comfortable competing with his current team. It also removes some of the urgency to get a trade done; it’s not like Kucherov is suspended without pay right now.
The Lightning have stated they have no intention of trading their superstar right winger, but anything I’ve been told suggests Kucherov is done as a Lightning player after this season and won’t re-sign in virtually any scenario. Knowing that so early in the season, does it mean BriseBois will consider exploring the trade market?
Kucherov, 33, has a 10-team list of teams to which he’d accept a trade. I’m hearing there’s no rush on his part to make a decision on where he’d like to play next, so we shouldn’t anticipate a trade particularly soon barring a drastic change in his desire to play for Tampa in the present. But if a trade does happen – keeping in mind we don’t know all 10 teams on Kucherov’s list – who would be the most intriguing and/or logical fits? Let’s spitball.
First, let’s address two of the destinations I’m not buying: the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. It was reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that Kucherov would be open to joining either club. But neither destination makes sense logistically. Both teams are loaded on the wings and have dire needs at other positions. The Habs need a center, not a winger. The Detroit Red Wings’ Larkin is their most logical trade target. The Leafs are also strong on the wings and desperately need a defenseman. If they chase anyone, it should be Detroit’s Simon Edvinsson. I suppose all 31 teams should kick tires when a future first-ballot Hall of Famer like Kucherov is available, but there are better fits than Montreal and Toronto.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Hawks would not check the “win now” box for Kucherov, though he’d obviously help them do a lot more winning…now. But Chicago would constitute a shift to a much bigger market for a player who has spent his career in relative obscurity. They’d offer a star center for Kucherov to play with in Connor Bedard. The Hawks, going nowhere in their rebuild, are getting desperate to accelerate their timeline, and Kucherov would undoubtedly help there. They also have the cap space to pay him whatever he wants; they’re sitting on more than $37 million for next season, according to our partners at PuckPedia. And the Hawks have the right mix of young NHL talent (i.e. Frank Nazar) and high-end prospects to potentially intrigue Tampa with an offer.
Dallas Stars
Hockey wise and cap wise, the Stars make a ton of sense to me. Why? Two words: Jason Robertson. Every contract negotiation so far in his career between him and Dallas’ top left winger has been tense, culminating in a disastrous, arbitration-avoiding one-year deal this past summer, walking him to 2027 unrestricted free agency. Robertson for Kucherov could work as a one-for-one swap; both players would be moving from one income-tax-free state to another. Both are elite first-liners. And, assuming extensions were involved, each would be a helluva get for the other side rather than losing a star for nothing next summer. Robertson, 27, would make the Lightning younger, whereas the Stars are far enough down their contention road that they might accept getting older if Kucherov could help push them over the hump to win a Stanley Cup.
New York Islanders
Islanders GM Mathieu Darche was BriseBois’ assistant GM with the Lightning, so their familiarity with each other could make a trade easier to execute. The Isles are building around 2025 No. 1 overall pick and budding superstar defenseman Matthew Schaefer but have been hesitant to go scorched-earth, preferring to compete in the present, as evidenced by their trade for Brayden Schenn last winter. Kucherov could seriously level up their roster. They also could have a piece that would help make the cap-hit exchange work and provide the Lightning with a talented if inferior replacement for Kucherov: Mathew Barzal. He has yet to suit up this season as he battles a chronic knee issue but, assuming he passed the physical, he could use a fresh start on a dynamic club like Tampa that might let him utilize his high-end speed and skill more.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks check a lot of boxes. If Kucherov wants to play alongside a superstar, it wouldn’t get much better than forming a line with Macklin Celebrini, a finisher Kucherov could complement with his elite playmaking skills. The Sharks are also eager to exit their rebuild and start making the playoffs regularly, and a player of Kucherov’s caliber would drastically increase the odds of that happening. The Sharks have a litany of picks, prospects and young NHL players they could dangle to the Lightning if they’d be willing to take a short step backward to get better and younger later. Picture the 2024-25 Carolina Hurricanes punting on pending UFA Mikko Rantanen to secure Logan Stankoven and multiple first-round picks. Imagine if Tampa did the same for a package centered on Michael Misa, for instance.
Seattle Kraken
Just because the Kraken shouldn’t be lurching forward trying to contend doesn’t mean that isn’t what they’re doing. We know they tried hard to land Robertson from Dallas only for him to indicate he wouldn’t sign an extension in the Emerald City. Would Kucherov be willing to? Washington is another no-tax state, which would help, but the Kraken would represent a cross-continent move to another non-hockey market, and they wouldn’t offer an elite or even above-average supporting cast for him to work with. It’s tough to see the hockey fit, but I’m including the Kraken because it seems like they’d have interest given their pursuit of Robertson.
Utah Mammoth
The Mammoth are rich in assets. They have a depth chart layered with experienced veterans, solid players in their primes, emerging young stars and even high-upside prospects. That means, if they had interest in Kucherov, they’d have as many permutations as any team in the league to offer BriseBois, though the Mammoth, who are knocking on the door of Stanley Cup contention, would probably be most likely to dangle a prospect such as Tij Iginla or Caleb Desnoyers as the centerpiece of a trade. The Mammoth are already deep at forward, though. Are they better off chasing an upgrade over the struggling Karel Vejmelka in net?
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights can never resist chasing the next shiny thing. They offer a no-tax environment, which would make the destination palatable for Kucherov’s wallet. We know GM Kelly McCrimmon is willing to sacrifice literally anyone to get what he wants. Could the Golden Knights offer up their emerging young forward Trevor Connelly alongside a veteran like Tomas Hertl to make the money work? It’s pretty much guaranteed that McCrimmon will check in on Kucherov if it hasn’t happened already.
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