Nikita Kucherov wanted 18 to 20 million, and the Lightning's offer of 15 left a wide gap between the two sides.
The number comes from David Pagnotta, who reported on Hello Hockey on Friday that Kucherov was looking for a five, six or seven year deal in the neighbourhood of 18 to 20 million. It lands a day after Tampa Bay lost 5-4 in a shootout in Nashville.
Tampa Bay put 15 million on the table. That leaves a difference of 3 to 5 million between the offer and the ask, depending on where in his range Kucherov lands.
| GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | |
| 2026-27 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 18 | +5 |
| Career | 892 | 404 | 737 | 1141 | +205 |
Saturday night showed why the ask is what it is. Kucherov had three assists in Nashville, finished a +3 and played 23:41, even in a loss.
He has 18 points in 13 games this season, 14 of them assists. Over his career he sits at 1141 points in 892 regular-season games, and the Lightning know exactly who they are negotiating with.
The clock matters here. His current deal carries a $9,500,000 cap hit, runs through 2026-27 and ends with him as an unrestricted free agent. No extension has been signed. The Leo Carlsson cap hit and Kucherov's talks were already part of the conversation on Saturday.
Pagnotta's report puts real numbers on a negotiation that had mostly lived in whispers.
Pagnotta noted that Kucherov was looking for a deal of five, six or seven years at 18 to 20 million.
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An offer of 15 for a 33-year-old who still produces like this looks light. It is a lot of money, but it is nowhere near what the market will tell him he is worth, and Tampa Bay should know that.
Lightning face a ticking clock with Kucherov
The standings give Tampa Bay no urgency to rush. The Lightning are 8-3-2, eighth in the NHL and fourth in the Atlantic Division, with a perfect 6-0-0 record at home.
The road is another story at 2-3-2, and Saturday's loss in Nashville was the latest example. Jon Cooper's group hosts the Red Wings on Tuesday.
Other teams are already circling. A mock trade making the rounds has Kucherov joining the Utah Mammoth with an enormous price tag attached, and every week without a deal gives that kind of talk more oxygen.
Tampa Bay general manager Julien Brisebois has a decision to make before the gap becomes a distraction. Kucherov is still a Lightning player, and the Red Wings arrive Tuesday.
Should the Lightning pay Nikita Kucherov 18 million or more to keep him in Tampa Bay?
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