Kucherov’s contract ‘his business’ say Lightning teammates

On the ice Saturday, it was business as usual for Nikita Kucherov.

Last season’s Hart Trophy winner had three assists for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, a day after reports surfaced that the 33-year-old forward had informed both his teammates and the Lightning organization that he would not be re-signing with Tampa Bay and would like to be traded.

Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois responded directly in a statement posted on the team’s social media account Friday, declaring that the Lightning “unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita.”

While Kucherov did not speak to the media after Saturday’s game, there was reaction from teammates -- and a notable opponent.

"We obviously knew about it, so it wasn’t news to us when it came out,” said Lightning captain Victor Hedman, a teammate for the entirety of Kucherov’s 13 seasons with the Lightning. “It was a tough day.”

Hedman’s fellow defenseman John Carlson is in his first season playing with Kucherov after 17 years with the Washington Capitals before finishing last season with the Anaheim Ducks.

"I think it was surprising to everyone. … Once you get on the ice, there’s only so many things you can worry about,” Carlson said. “I can’t speak for him, but for me, we’re focused on what I can do on the ice. That’s as important as ever to me. That’s how I think.”

There was some irony in the Lightning facing the Predators on Saturday. Nashville’s Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay’s former captain, had a difficult divorce from the Lightning when he left as a free agent following the 2023-24 season.

Stamkos played 16 seasons for Tampa Bay, leaving as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (1,137 points), a mark Kucherov passed on Oct. 24 and raised to 1,142 points (405 goals, 737 assists) in Saturday’s game. Kucherov also has 177 points (54 goals, 123 assists) in 159 Stanley Cup playoff games, teaming with Stamkos to win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 and reach the final in 2022.

"My reaction was probably the same as all of yours,” Stamkos said. “You don’t expect to see something like that. … Obviously I have the world of respect for ‘Kuch.’ Everyone knows what I think of him as a player and as a person. Getting a chance to play with him for so long, (he was) a huge part of my success. I still keep in touch with him. It is what it is at this point. He still looked pretty good out there tonight.”

Kucherov is coming off his fourth straight 100-point season (130 points; 44 goals, 86 assists in 2025-26) and second Hart Trophy. He leads the Lightning with 18 points (four goals, 14 assists).

He is in the final season of an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million average annual value) he signed July 10, 2018. Kucherov has been eligible to sign a new deal since July 1 and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Linemate Brayden Point expects Kucherov’s contract situation will not affect his play on the ice.

“That’s his business,” Point said. “He’s my teammate, he’s my friend, and that’s how I’ll treat him. … He’s going to play hard. We can’t look into the future. Right now, he’s a Bolt. Like I said, he’s a friend, and that’s how we’ll go about it.”

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said much the same prior to the game.

"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 said. “Kuch is 100 percent a part of this team. 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.

“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. 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 and, 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."

NHL.com independent correspondent Russell Vannozzi contributed to this report