Top NHL Insider Jeff Marek Reveals Failed Blockbuster Trade of Leon Draisaitl for Nikita Kucherov

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Tom Banks
December 17, 2024  (9:09 PM)

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Photo credit: The Hockey News

The Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning are led by Nikita Kucherov and Leon Draisaitl, but five years ago, they almost traded places in a shocking deal that would have shaken the entire NHL to its foundations.

Over the past few years, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers have been two of the best teams in the entire NHL, with two Stanley Cup's won by Tampa Bay in the last five years.

However, things could have been so different, as Jeff Marek has revealed shocking trade conversations that happened between the two organizations back in 2019 which could have changed the entire landscape of the NHL.

According to Marek, the two teams discussed swapping Leon Draisaitl and Nikita Kucherov, and while the details of the overall trade were not unveiled, it would have been one of the biggest trades in recent NHL memory, with two massive superstars just entering their prime potentially swapping places.

Since 2019, these two have combined to score over 100 points in six different seasons, as they've become two of the best scorers in the entire league during that stretch.

In that time, Tampa Bay have won two Stanley Cups, while the Oilers made the Finals for the first time in the McDavid/Draisaitl era, but if this swap had of happened, so many things could have been different.

Ultimately though, it didn't pan out for whatever reason, and it's safe to say given Tampa Bay's success and the partnership of McDavid and Draisaitl, both teams would have been very happy that they didn't ultimately end up making the deal.

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Previously

Sidney Crosby Leaves Game Early After Collision with Evgeni Malkin Sends Him to the Locker Room

Inappropriate Conduct: San Jose Sharks Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky Punished by the NHL

Colorado Avalanche Unexpectedly Place Forward Chris Wagner on Waivers

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DÉCEMBRE 17   |   132 ANSWERS Top NHL Insider Jeff Marek Reveals Failed Blockbuster Trade of Leon Draisaitl for Nikita Kucherov Would the Lightning have won their two Stanley Cups if they had traded Nikita Kucherov?
Yes	20	15.2 %
No	112	84.8 %
LIST OF POLLS

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