The two-time Hart Trophy winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion is in the final season of an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million average annual value) he signed July 10, 2018. He has been eligible to sign a new deal since July 1 and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The 33-year-old forward became the Lightning’s all-time leading scorer on Saturday with an assist in a 5-4 overtime loss at the Utah Mammoth to pass Steven Stamkos (1,137). He has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 12 games this season for the Lightning (8-3-1).
Before the season, BriseBois sounded confident the sides could eventually reach a new deal.
"Throughout these contract negotiations, both parties I know would prefer to have a deal today to put that behind us," BriseBois said on Sept. 16. "We haven't been able to do that. I'm still in touch with his agent to keep the lines of communication open with the goal being to get Nikita signed to a contract that will keep him in Tampa many years to come."
Kucherov has 1,139 points (405 goals, 734 assists) in 891 games over his 13 NHL seasons, all with the Lightning. He also has 177 points (54 goals, 123 assists) in 159 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Kucherov helped the Lightning win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. They were eliminated in the Eastern Conference First Round by the Montreal Canadiens in seven games last season and haven't won a playoff series since defeating the New York Rangers in the 2022 Eastern Conference Final.
Last season Kucherov was second in the NHL with 130 points (44 goals, 86 assists) in 76 games and won the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player for the second time (2019).
Kucherov reached the 100-point mark in each of the past four seasons, tied for the second-longest active streak in the NHL (Connor McDavid, six). He also is one of five players to record 100 assists in a season, accomplishing the feat in 2023-24 to join Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and McDavid.
