A day after requesting a trade, Tampa Bay Lightning star winger Nikita Kucherov was in the lineup and had a multipoint game during Saturday’s game at Nashville.
That’s not a surprise to Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who said the NHL’s reigning most valuable player is “100% a part of the team.”
"I will sit here and tell you nothing has changed in what our goals are this year just, maybe, the context of how it is going to go about,” Cooper told reporters before Predators' 5-4 overtime victory.
“He wants to be a part of this team for this season, and he is committed to be with the group that loves him and the group he loves.”
Kucherov is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, when an eight-year, $76 million contract expires. Kucherov and his agent, Dan Milstein, have been trying to work out a contract extension since the end of last season.
On Friday, they informed general manager Julien BriseBois that Kucherov was no longer interested in re-signing and was requesting a trade, according to multiple media reports.
Brisebois responded in a statement that said he had “no interest” in dealing the franchise’s career points leader.
On Saturday, Cooper warned observers not to read anything – good or bad – into Kucherov’s play as the team seeks its 13th playoff berth in 14 seasons.
“What I don't want to get skewed in all of this is if Kuch turns the puck over or the play does not go exactly his way and he shows frustration or, at some point, the coach who is coaching him is showing frustration with him or somebody else on the team and then everybody says, 'Oh, my God. He wants out.' That will not be the case,” Cooper said.
“Jon Cooper will coach the team the way Jon Cooper has always coached the team and Kuch is going to play like the superstar he is and the way he has for a decade and a half and that is how it is going to continue. All the rest of it is outside noise.”
The Athletic reported that Kucherov told teammates of the request during the Lightning's flight to Nashville on Friday.
“For Kuch internally, what happens after our season is over, that's Kuch's right and he has earned that right for whatever happens. For us, it probably made the team stronger.,” Cooper said.
Kucherov has been seeking a six-year extension with an average annual value in the range of $20 million, the Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported.
Kucherov has a modified no-trade clause, which allows him to submit a 10-team list of approved teams for Tampa Bay to work with, ESPN reported.
“Nikita has spoken to all the parties involved and there's nothing else to add at this time,'' Milstein told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun late Friday.
Kucherov had three points against Nashville, adding to his franchise-best tally of 1,142. For the season, he has For the season, he has four goals and 14 assists for 18 points over 13 games.
After the game, Nashville's Steven Stamkos, who held the Lightning scoring mark until Kucherov broke it last week, said, "My reaction was probably the same as all of yours. You don't expect to see something like that."
The 33-year-old Russian has helped Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup twice with two other appearances in the finals, led the NHL in scoring three times, and was voted the recipient of the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2018-19 and 2025-26.
