If Nikita Kucherov reaches the open market this summer, the Bruins should not be dismissed as a real possibility. A bidding war would be coming, and Boston could easily be part of it.
At first glance, the fit might sound far-fetched. But Kucherov does not come across like a player chasing anything other than the right hockey situation and a legitimate shot at a Stanley Cup.
Other teams may be closer right now, yet Boston’s trajectory matters here. The Bruins are building fast, and the window for a deal like this lines up neatly with Kucherov’s contract.
That contract is expected to land around six years and $120 million, and if Boston’s young core keeps trending the way it has this season, the Bruins could be in contender territory within that span. David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman are already in place, and the organization has made its commitment to winning with that group clear. That should be enough to make Kucherov pause and take a serious look.
The power-play angle is where the idea gets especially interesting. Elliotte Friedman brought up a useful point on Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast, noting that Kucherov will likely want a setup that feels tailor-made for him. He floated a Dylan Larkin-for-Kucherov swap and pointed to the appeal of a power play with Moritz Seider at the top and Lucas Raymond on the left flank, similar to what Kucherov had in Tampa Bay with Darren Raddysh last season and Steven Stamkos for years before that.
Boston could offer a version of that. Pastrnak and McAvoy in those same spots would give Kucherov an obvious pair of targets.
Morgan Geekie could also fit in the bumper, giving Kucherov three heavy shots to feed for one-timers. That would push James Hagens out of his natural spot on the flank on PP1, but he has shown enough in front of the net at five-on-five that it would be worth wondering what he could do in that role on a Kucherov power play.
The picture is easy to draw: three one-time threats for Kucherov, penalty killers forced to overplay the passing lanes, and then a quick feed down low to Hagens, who uses his hands and lifts one under the bar. There have been worse ideas.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan also reported that Kucherov wants to play with a superstar on his next deal. That only adds another layer to Boston’s case, because Pastrnak is already there and could use another elite finisher beside him to lighten the load. A Pastrnak-Kucherov wing pairing would make a lot of sense, and there are not many superstar options who would fit that cleanly.
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What makes Hagens such an encouraging watch is not just the points, but the way he has stacked them up while looking comfortable in a demanding role. The broader evaluation around the league is still cautious, as it should be this early, with rookies often facing regression or the limits that come with a long season, but Hagens has already given Boston something real to follow. For a team that always has an eye on the future, he is becoming the kind of early-season storyline that can make the rebuild or retool feel a little more tangible. [Read more 🡒]