Nikita Kucherov’s future in Tampa Bay has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points in the NHL, and the reported price tag is enormous.
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, the Lightning star is seeking $20 million per season on a six-year deal. That would add up to a $120 million commitment and would make Kucherov the league’s highest-paid forward.
The report comes after Elliotte Friedman said Kucherov requested a trade, a claim the Lightning later denied publicly that same evening. Even with that denial on the record, the noise around No. 86 has only grown louder.
Tampa Bay reportedly put a four-year offer on the table at $15 million annually, but Kucherov turned it down. With his current cap hit sitting at $9.5 million and unrestricted free agency looming after this season, the gap between the two sides is hard to miss.
That’s where the Montreal Canadiens enter the picture.
For general manager Kent Hughes, this is the kind of situation worth watching closely. Montreal heads into its matchup against Pittsburgh on a four-game winning streak, sitting at 8-3-2 and sixth in the NHL standings. That kind of start gives the Canadiens room to think big.
There’s also a possible link to Dylan Larkin. A three-team trade scenario has already been floated, with Kucherov going to Montreal and Larkin ending up in Tampa Bay.
Kucherov’s numbers explain why the interest is real. He has 15 points in 12 games this season, including 11 assists. Over his career, he’s piled up 1,139 points in 891 games, and the offensive talent remains as dangerous as ever.
Still, the money is the issue. A deal that pays $20 million a year into Kucherov’s late 30s would be a massive gamble, even for a player with his résumé.
Larkin, meanwhile, carries an $8.7 million cap hit through 2030-31. Johnston has also suggested he’s optimistic about Montreal and could be open to expanding his 10-team trade list.
Nothing indicates Montreal has made an offer. But with Kucherov’s asking price now out there, Hughes has every reason to at least make the call.
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