The key facts

  • Kucherov is ready to move to the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Montreal Canadiens if the terms of the deal suit Tampa
  • It was previously reported that he turned down a four-year contract with a salary of $15 million per season and requested a trade
  • The club stated it does not intend to part with the player; the current contract runs until the end of the season

Kucherov names two trade options

Russian forward Nikita Kucherov is ready to consider two clubs he could be traded to from the Tampa Bay Lightning — the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. According to Sportsnet, citing journalist Elliotte Friedman, the player agrees to a move via trade if the terms of the deal suit Tampa. Gazeta.Ru reports this.

Context: refusal to extend and the club's position

Earlier, information emerged that Kucherov refused to extend his contract with the Lightning and requested a trade. According to media reports, the player turned down a four-year deal with a salary of $15 million per season. Club representatives responded by saying that the Lightning do not intend to part with the Russian. Thus, the new reports about the player's readiness to be traded to specific clubs contradict the club's public position of keeping the forward.

The contract situation

Kucherov is playing the final season of an eight-year contract worth a total of $76 million with an average annual salary of $9.5 million. After the contract expires, he will become an unrestricted free agent. He has played for Tampa since 2013, has won the Stanley Cup twice (2020, 2021), has received the Art Ross Trophy three times (2019, 2024, 2025), the Ted Lindsay Award twice (2019, 2025), and is also a holder of the Kharlamov Trophy (2019). In the last NHL game Kucherov's assist hat trick could not save Tampa from defeat.