Per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Nikita Kucherov has told the Lightning that he will not re-sign with them and that he wants to be traded. This is undoubtedly shocking news, as Kucherov has been the Lightning's top star for over a decade. It seemed that he would be a career Bolt, but with this update, it appears that a Kucherov trade could be on the way.
Kucherov requesting a trade comes while the Lightning are having a very good start to the season. At the time of this writing, the Lightning have an 8-3-1 record and are third in the Atlantic Division with 17 points. Yet, even with the Lightning looking like contenders again this season, Kucherov still wants out.
Kucherov is in the final season of his contract, where he has a bargain $9.5 million cap hit. The 33-year-old is undoubtedly due for a major raise with his next contract. Kucherov should generate a ton of interest around the league, as he is one of the NHL's most talented forwards.
However, he has a 10-team trade list, so he has a good amount of say over where he can end up. In 12 games this season with the Lightning, Kucherov has posted four goals, 15 points, and a plus-2 rating. This is after he recorded 44 goals, 86 assists, and 130 points in 76 games for the Lightning during the 2025-26 season.
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