Forget the Dylan Larkin trade request and Simon Edvinsson‘s holdout. Even the saga with the Minnesota Wild and Quinn Hughes is on pause as the NHL world still tries to wrap its head around Friday night’s news that Nikita Kucherov told the Tampa Bay Lightning he wasn’t extending and wanted to be traded.
🚨Night Cap Recap 🚨
Friday Night Bombshell!!
Nikita Kucherov Has Asked for a Trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning
#gobolts https://t.co/BawIQEk6TE— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 30, 2026
https://platform.x.com/widgets.js
Kucherov is in the year of an eight-year, $76 million contract that carries at $9.5 million AAV, and he has been eligible for extension since July 1st. While Kucherov was not worried about his contract, letting his agent handle it when he talked to reporters at the end of the 2025-26 season following another disappointing first-round exit, it appears the pace and where the Lightning value him are sticking points.
The NHL landscape has changed. Salaries are rising as the salary cap increases, and players are taking control of their futures. The days of players doing the GM’s job are over. With players getting record deals like Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million AAV), Leo Carlsson ($18 million AAV), Mackin Celebrini ($18.8 million AAV), and Cale Makar ($20.4 million AAV), Kucherov knew, based on his resume, he was in that class.
Again, Kucherov has not said much about the process as he is a very private person. The goal was to keep things private, but word got out Friday, after a meeting between Kucherov, his agent, and the team. He told his teammates during their flight to face the Nashville Predators, a game the Lightning lost 5-4 in the shootout, that this would be his last year with the club, as he was not extending and wanted a trade.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and GM Julien BriseBois said they have no plans to trade him. Kucherov and his agent, Dan Milstein, maintain that he will be with the team and is committed to the Lightning until there is a resolution.
Discussed the Nikita Kucherov situation on @FullPressNHL Podcast with @DcalabrettaTFP. We were both shocked that Kucherov wasn’t signed.
We asked the question is Kucherov Stamkos 2.0. Appears so after the news on Friday night about a trade request
#goboltsWatch, Like, Subscribe:
https://t.co/2osdAMgUoJ— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 31, 2026
https://platform.x.com/widgets.js
But you could tell this situation was brewing when the Lightning and Kucherov got to training camp. As noted on the Full Press Hockey Podcast with Jim Biringer and David Calabretta, Tampa Bay and GM Julien Brisebois were heading down a familiar path, turning the situation with Nikita Kucherov into Steven Stamkos 2.0
Full Press Hockey Transcriptions
Jim Biringer: “Are you surprised that Nikita Kucherov isn’t extended in Tampa yet?”
David Calabretta: “A little. I find the press conference was a bit awkward, and I think BriseBois was a bit disappointed he couldn’t get it done.”
Around Full Press Hockey
Montreal Canadiens: Could the Montreal Canadiens Trade for Dylan Larkin?
Minnesota Wild: Quinn Hughes Will Make a Decision When He is Ready To
New Jersey Devils: Connor Hellebuyck Traded to the New Jersey Devils
Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin Has Played His Last Game for the Detroit Red Wings
PODCAST: NHL BOMBSHELL! Nikita Kucherov REQUESTS A TRADE?! Lightning Superstar Wants OUT!
WANT MORE PODCASTS? Dylan Larkin REFUSES to Play Until Traded! NHL Trade Talks HEAT UP!
Biringer: “So BriseBois to me, what what I was looking at this, BriseBois’s got the Stamkos attitude of a couple of years ago. Remember when Stamkos at a training camp, he was all disappointed that an extension wasn’t done, and BriseBois was like, well, let’s wait. Kucherov doesn’t seem to care because he’s just like, I’m just gonna play hockey.
Like, I heard over the summer it was like before July 1, it was gonna be like $12-13 million. Boom. Okay, we’re done. Short-term deal. They can’t really go down a Steven Stamkos route with this guy, can they?
Calabretta: “I mean, I feel like if there’s a team that could, it’s them.”
Biringer: “Right”
Calabretta: “They’ve done it with Samcos. They let Darren Raddysh walk after a career year, and they replaced him right away. Should they? No1 Because Nikita Kucherov is still a top player, personally, I think he’s a top five player in the NHL.
Biringer: “Didn’t he just win the Hart Trophy last I checked”
Calabretta: “He won the Hart Trophy. He’s insane, and I think, even for three years, I would give him the max turn, and I think teams across the league would give him the max turn. So I don’t think Tampa should be playing around with it. What are they trying to wait and see for, for him to lose a step?
Biringer: “Yeah, and then they could say, “Hey, we’re ahead of the game like always.” Just give him a three-year deal. Like I always heard it was a two- or three-year deal to get him to over 35, and then they would just keep him on one-year deals.”
Calabretta: “I don’t think Kucherov wants to leave Tampa.”
Biringer: “No, I don’t think so either.”
Calabretta: “But I don’t like I don’t understand why it’s not done. That’s like they can’t let this be a Stamkos 2.0. And I know, in theory, it works out because Stamkos isn’t the player he used to be.”
Biringer: “Stamkos just had a great year down in Nashville.”
Calabretta: “No, he did. But then Tampa replaced him with (Jake) Guentzel, right? So for them it was like, okay, we have a younger replacement. But for Kucherov, there’s no you can’t replace Kucherov.”
Biringer: “No”
Calabretta: “You can’t replace Kucherov. And if you take him out of Tampa Bay, they’re not a playoff team.”
As Elliotte Friedman reported on Sportsnet Saturday Night Hockey, when Nikita Kucherov makes up his mind about something, it is hard to convince otherwise. The Lightning hoped they would change his mind. Doesn’t sound like it’s happening.
If this doesn’t get resolved by the trade deadline, you have to wonder if Nikita Kucherov is on the trade bait boards, as the Lightning may try to find a young replacement at the deadline. It is a situation worth watching with so many big stars eligible for extensions this season.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? We are posting weekly podcasts, hot takes, and rumors from around the NHL. Come along for the ride.
Want to write, edit, host, or produce with FPC? Join the staff →
Join the conversation
Bring your take to the huddle. Comments are reserved for Full Press Coverage members.
Strong takes rise. Keep it respectful.