Kucherov Requests Trade, Will Not Re-sign with Tampa Bay

Nikita Kucherov informed the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday that he will not re-sign with the team. According to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to The Associated Press, the 33-year-old winger has asked for a trade. The individual requested anonymity because the discussions are private. Sportsnet broke the news first, and the Lightning did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Kucherov is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the current season concludes. This marks the end of an eight-year, $76 million contract he signed in 2018. During that tenure, he helped Tampa Bay win two Stanley Cups, led the league in scoring three times, and won the Hart Trophy as MVP in the 2018-19 and 2025-26 seasons.

General Manager Julien BriseBois has praised the Russian winger extensively. At a training camp news conference last month, BriseBois called Kucherov a historically great player and suggested he might be the best player in the world right now. In mid-September, BriseBois stated the goal was to sign Kucherov to a new deal that would keep him on the team for years as part of a perennial contender. He noted that he and agent Dan Milstein were keeping communication open, expressing belief that Kucherov would remain elite well into his 30s.

Kucherov’s career statistics place him among the NHL’s all-time leaders. Since debuting in 2013, he has recorded 1,139 points in 891 regular-season games. That total is third all-time in that span, behind only Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. His 177 playoff points during the same period are the most in the league. Last weekend, he became the franchise’s career points leader, passing former captain Steven Stamkos.

The player has 15 points from four goals and 11 assists in 12 games this season. He is second on the team in scoring behind Brandon Hagel. His anticipated departure makes him the latest high-profile star to request a trade in recent months. Brady Tkachuk moved from Ottawa to Florida, and Connor Hellebuyck went from Winnipeg to New Jersey. Dylan Larkin remains in limbo with Detroit. Unlike those players, Kucherov has no time left on his current contract, adding urgency to the Lightning’s decision.

The Lightning have made the playoffs 12 times in the last 13 seasons. They reached the final four times with Kucherov and Victor Hedman at the core of the team. Other players, including Stamkos, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, and center Brayden Point, have cycled in and out of the lineup. The team has been eliminated in the first round in each of the past four years.