NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest Nikita Kucherov Speculation

It's been nearly a week since the news broke that Nikita Kucherov wasn't re-signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning and had requested a trade. That's sparked ongoing speculation over where he might land if the Lightning decide to move him before the March 1 trade deadline. On Monday, the 33-year-old superstar winger told the press that his decision wasn't about the money, but was instead based on a lack of communication and respect from Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois during negotiations. BriseBois remains firm that he's not trading Kucherov, who will continue to play with the Lightning while this situation unfolds. Nevertheless, pundits are speculating about where the All-Star winger will end up if BriseBois changes his mind and peddle him before the March 1 trade deadline. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that "at least 25 teams" internally discussed the possibility of acquiring Kucherov. He indicated that the winger has a 10-team trade list that was submitted in May or June, but he felt it could change considering what's occurred since then. So far, there's no indication that Kucherov has a short list of destinations. Related stories If Kucherov becomes available, LeBrun suggested the question becomes whether he'll sign an extension with the acquiring club, which would improve the quality of the return for the Lightning. Larkin noted the conjecture that the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs could be on Kucherov's trade list. However, he doesn't see the reigning Hart Trophy winner as a fit with either club. The Canadiens are in the market for a center, while the Maple Leafs desperately need help on the blueline. Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now believes Kucherov isn't a sensible trade target for the Sharks, even if he wanted to come to San Jose, citing the high cost of acquiring and signing him. Peng felt the Sharks aren't close to contender status, suggesting that it's not worth cashing in assets for a player like him. TSN's Travis Yost cited the Lightning's asking price and Kucherov's next contract among the hurdles in the path to a trade. Yost pointed out that not a single contender can afford to take on Kucherov’s current contract ($9.5 million cap hit) without money going out or the Lightning retaining some salary. Clubs seeking a sign-and-trade scenario must ensure they have sufficient cap space for this season and beyond. BriseBois' future in Tampa Bay was a topic of interest to Daily Faceoff's Tyler Yaremkchuk and Carter Hutton. They wondered if his fumbled handling of this situation might cost him his job. For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.