Darren Dreger says a Nikita Kucherov deal with the Maple Leafs could start with the Lightning asking for Auston Matthews.
The idea surfaced Monday on First Up, and it lands in the middle of a Kucherov storyline that has been building all weekend. His contract runs out at the end of this season, and the talks with Tampa Bay have been the hot topic.
According to a post from R i N K Y relaying the segment, Dreger pointed out that if Julien Brisebois is seriously engaging, he's going to ask for the other team's best player.
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In Toronto, that player is Matthews. Dreger's point is simple: a GM with a franchise winger on the market doesn't start by asking for depth pieces.
The noise around Kucherov has been loud for days. We Nikita Kucherov's contract demands from the Lightning reported Sunday: he wanted 18 to 20 million, and Tampa's offer of 15 left a wide gap.
| GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | |
| 2026-27 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 18 | +5 |
| Career | 892 | 404 | 737 | 1141 | +205 |
Kucherov isn't slowing down, either. He has 18 points in 13 games, and the Lightning sit 8-3-2, fourth in the Atlantic Division.
Why Matthews for Kucherov is a bad idea for Toronto
Matthews is 29. Kucherov is 33 and heading toward free agency, and the Leafs would be paying the highest price in the sport for a player they might have to re-sign on his terms.
Matthews has 11 goals and 24 points in 16 games, and he hasn't gone anywhere near a slump. Trading the first overall pick of 2016 for a winger on an expiring deal is a move that costs Toronto more than it returns.
| Player | Seasons | GP | G | A | PTS |
| Nikita Kucherov | 13 | 892 | 404 | 737 | 1141 |
| Auston Matthews | 11 | 705 | 439 | 365 | 804 |
The career numbers show why this is a real conversation at all. Kucherov has 1141 points in 892 games, Matthews 804 in 705, and the playoff résumé favors Tampa's star. That doesn't change the age gap.
Toronto is 8-6-2 and 12th in the NHL, with a +7 goal differential. The Leafs aren't in a position where a seismic move is forced on them.
Tampa has its own side of this. The Lightning have to decide what Kucherov is worth to them before the market decides for them, and a Vegas fan account's Kucherov trade pitch shows how fast the suggestions pile up.
Nothing in Dreger's comments says a deal is close, and the Leafs haven't been tied to a specific offer. Both clubs play Tuesday, Tampa against Detroit and Toronto against Utah, and Kucherov's contract situation will follow the Lightning into that game.
Would you trade Auston Matthews for Nikita Kucherov if you were the Maple Leafs?
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