The Tampa Bay Lightning are still working on a Nikita Kucherov extension, but the deal is not done yet.
Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said both sides would have liked to have wrapped it up already, but the talks are ongoing. “Both parties, I know, would have preferred to have a deal today & be able to put that behind us.
We haven’t been able to do that. I’m still in touch with his agent.
We’re going to keep the lines of communication open.”
Kucherov, meanwhile, isn’t letting the unfinished business change his approach. Entering the final year of his contract, he said, “My mind is trying to help the team this year. I control what I can control, and I’ll do my best what I can on the ice, and that’s what I’m focusing on right now.”
Elsewhere, a new extension comparable has surfaced for San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith. Curtis Pashelka pointed to Cutter Gauthier’s six-year deal worth $13.5 million per season as a possible benchmark. The numbers line up closely: Gauthier has 114 points in 159 games, while Smith has 104 points in 143 games.
In Toronto, the Morgan Rielly trade chatter never really went anywhere. Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported that while there was speculation after the season, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka said there were no serious discussions about moving the defenseman.
“At no point did we ever have what I would characterize as a serious trade opportunity with Morgan Rielly.”
Rielly did give the Maple Leafs a list of teams he would waive his no-trade clause for, but that never translated into a push to leave. Chayka also wasn’t looking to deal a player carrying a $7.5 million cap hit with four years left just to make a move. As he noted, that number looked better as the summer went on.
“If you look at Morgan’s career, he’s been able to skate, move the puck and create offense. So at no point was this some situation where we didn’t want Morgan Rielly or we didn’t value Morgan Rielly. It’s the opposite.
Chayka also said he had been straightforward with Rielly over the summer. “I’ve had very frank, candid conversations with Morgan now over the summer.
Like, what an incredible person, and he’s played an important role for this team, and we expect he’ll continue to do that. We’re in a good spot - he’s ready to go for camp and just looking forward.”
In Other News...
Kucherov's Next Deal Just Became A Real Lightning Storyline
Nikita Kucherov arrived at training camp with the kind of resume that makes every conversation around him feel bigger than the next shift. Coming off a 130-point season and a second Hart Trophy, the Lightning winger has once again established himself as the centerpiece of Tampa Bays offense, and he is heading into a season where his contract situation is beginning to matter almost as much as his production.
Kucherov has not signed an extension yet, with one year still left on his current deal, so the long view will keep hanging over the season even as camp gets rolling. For now, the focus from his side is on the present and on helping Tampa Bay chase another strong year, but this is one of those situations the Lightning cannot ignore for long, especially with a player of his caliber approaching a pivotal stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Start The Season With A Forward Problem They Can't Ignore
The Lightnings center depth took a hit before the puck even dropped, with general manager Julien BriseBois saying Yanni Gourde will remain sidelined through the early part of the season while he continues recovering from offseason hip surgery. Gourde is entering the second season of the six-year deal he signed with Tampa Bay, and his absence leaves a notable void in the middle of the lineup for a team that was counting on veteran stability down the center aisle.
Dominic James was supposed to be part of the next wave after his rookie NHL season and a new two-year entry-level contract, but he, too, is out of the picture for now after breaking his hand during training. BriseBois said James will miss the first few weeks of the season, which only heightens the pressure on Tampa Bay to patch together its forward group until reinforcements start coming back. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Already Face A Forward Depth Problem Before Camp Opens
The Lightning were already headed into camp with a thin margin for error up front, and Julien BriseBois update only sharpened that concern. Yanni Gourde is not expected back until December after offseason hip surgery, a significant hit to the kind of energy and reliability Tampa Bay has long counted on from its lower lines.
Dominic James added to the short-term squeeze when he broke his hand during offseason training and will miss several weeks. For a team trying to sort out its bottom six before the season begins, the timing is less than ideal, leaving Tampa Bay to navigate the early months without two forwards who were supposed to help stabilize the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]