Chris Johnston believes the Nikita Kucherov trade chatter is losing steam, with the Lightning's message landing around the league.
The Lightning star has been at the center of rumors for days, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are in Buffalo tonight without Brayden Point as they try to bounce back from Sunday's 4-3 loss in Winnipeg.
Johnston said the sense around the league is that Tampa Bay was very serious in the statement it made that it is not looking to trade Kucherov. He added that he thinks everyone involved now expects the topic to be less front burner.
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That lines up with what we have been tracking. Pierre LeBrun's report on Kucherov's future plans said the 33-year-old has no shortlist of destinations and hasn't started thinking about one.
For a team that has opened 11-4-2, the idea of moving its franchise forward makes little sense. Kucherov has 22 points in 17 games, and the Lightning sit 3rd in the Atlantic Division.
Does the Kucherov trade talk really go away?
Not completely, and the calendar is the reason. Kucherov's contract runs through 2026-27 and he is set to become a UFA at expiry, so the question will not disappear just because the noise dies down.
David Pagnotta's timeline for Kucherov points to July 1st as the date when the picture could change. Until then, the Lightning hold every card.
Here is the opinion: trading a player who produces like this while the team is winning at home every night would be a mistake. The Lightning are 8-0-0 at home, and the road record of 3-4-2 is the issue to fix, not the roster's best player.
Still, a team statement and a quiet league are not a contract. Kucherov has not signed an extension, and that will keep the topic alive in the background.
For now, the next test is on the ice. Tampa Bay plays in Buffalo tonight, and we will keep tabs on any new word from Johnston and the other insiders.
Quick hits
NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Sheldon Keefe says a power play change is "not too far away" after a 0-for-4 night in Winnipeg. Expect new faces on the top unit soon.
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OTTAWA SENATORS: Travis Green said of Nick Cousins, "He's not doing great," after the Chychrun hit. His status is the Senators' biggest question this morning.
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Alexander Ovechkin tied Nicklas Backstrom for the most assists in Capitals history Tuesday night. The Capitals beat the Senators 3-2 in overtime.
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NEW YORK RANGERS: Arthur Staple says the Rangers need to start locking up depth pieces, and he thinks Tye Kartye should be first in line.
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BUFFALO SABRES: The Sabres host a Lightning lineup without Brayden Point tonight, and a 20-year-old is set to make his NHL debut in Buffalo.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Lightning keep Nikita Kucherov through the July 1st deadline instead of trading him?
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