The New York Rangers have spent years waiting for a true star to become available, and Nikita Kucherov could be the rare name that actually gets there. The Tampa Bay Lightning winger, fresh off a Hart Trophy season, has suddenly become the kind of player who could reshape a market if he reaches free agency.
That possibility got real last week when Kucherov announced that he requested a trade from Tampa Bay. He said the move came because of a lack of communication from the team and general manager Julien BriseBois.
BriseBois, for his part, said he has no intention of trading Kucherov. Kucherov has also made it clear he will keep playing for the Lightning even if he is not moved, but the trade request has opened the door to the possibility of free agency.
If that happens, the Rangers figure to be in the mix. They have been hunting for a marquee addition, and Kucherov fits that bill. The problem is the price.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Kucherov is seeking a six-year deal worth $20 million per season. LeBrun said that if a team wants Kucherov, whether in a sign-and-trade or through free agency on July 1, “that is the contract they will have to pony up.”
The number is eye-popping, but it is not coming out of nowhere. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar reset the market with a $20.4 million annual salary, and Kucherov’s resume gives him plenty of leverage. He is 33, still producing at an elite level, and was just named league MVP for last season.
For the Rangers, though, the challenge is less about whether they can fit the money and more about what comes after. According to PuckPedia, they will have about $34 million in cap space next season, which means a Kucherov deal is financially possible. But the roster picture is messy.
Only four forwards are currently under contract for next season: Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, Pavel Dorofeyev, and Alexis Lafreniere.
That leaves nine forwards on the roster heading toward some form of free agency. Among the unrestricted free agents are Oliver Bjorkstrand, Eeli Tolvanen, Luke Glendening, Joe Veleno, and Taylor Raddysh.
The restricted free agent side brings its own complications. Gabe Perreault is expected to command a significant raise next offseason, especially with young players and top prospects landing lucrative extensions around the league.
Tye Kartye has also established himself as one of the Rangers’ better forwards, which could push his price up as well. Matt Rempe is also a restricted free agent, though there is a chance he could be moved if another team shows interest, including the Edmonton Oilers.
That means even if the Rangers make a run at Kucherov, they would still need to patch together the rest of the forward group. They would have to count on prospects such as Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin making real progress in the AHL and being ready to help fill those openings.
So yes, Kucherov would be an obvious target if he reaches the market. But for the Rangers, landing him would only be the start of the work.
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Dylan Garand has been handed the crease in the meantime, giving the Rangers a new variable to manage while they search for answers elsewhere in the lineup. His first start offered a needed lift, but the larger question remains whether New York can tighten up enough defensively to keep this stretch from turning into something much harder to recover from. [Read more 🡒]