Insider David Pagnotta just put the Montreal Canadiens squarely in the Nikita Kucherov conversation, calling them a premier destination for the Lightning star.
The comments come as Kucherov's future remains the biggest open question in the league. He is 33, and the contract he signed in 2019 runs through 2026-27, with unrestricted free agency waiting at expiry.
Pagnotta did not hedge on the appeal of the Canadiens, with one condition attached. "If the Canadiens are going to be one of the teams that are going to present him with a competitive offer, I think Montreal is one of the premier destinations that he would absolutely consider going to and signing with," he said.
He added that, assuming the offer is competitive, "the Canadiens would have as good a chance as any team to lure him to their club."
Note the "if" in there. Pagnotta is not saying Montreal is chasing Kucherov, and nothing in his comments says the Canadiens have made a move. He is saying that if Kent Hughes decides to go after him, the pitch would land.
And there is plenty to pitch. Kucherov has 28 points in 19 games this season, with 8 goals and 20 assists, and he is a +12. That is the production of a player who is nowhere near done.
Montreal is already a winning team. The Canadiens are 12-4-4 and sit 7-1-2 over their last 10, though they lost 4-1 to the Avalanche tonight at home. A winger of Kucherov's caliber on a roster already winning on the road, 7-1-1 away from home, is the kind of fit that makes this talk easy to start.
Does Kucherov actually leave Tampa Bay?
Right now, the signals point the other way. Elliotte Friedman's update on Kucherov and Quinn Hughes was that the Lightning will keep their star and go for the Stanley Cup.
Pagnotta himself said Friday that he does not see the Lightning moving their winger. Chris Johnston had already suggested the trade chatter was losing steam earlier this week.
So the Montreal talk is about next summer, not next week. Tampa Bay is 13-5-2 and has a +15 goal differential, which is not the résumé of a team ready to sell, even after a 2-0 loss to the Red Wings tonight.
Our view: Montreal is a fine fit on paper, but a fit means little until a player actually hits the market. If he does, Hughes will have a real decision to make about how aggressive to be.
The Lightning host the Capitals on Tuesday, while the Canadiens visit the Rangers on Monday.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Where will Nikita Kucherov play next season?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Charlie McAvoy faces possible suspension after fight with Bobby Brink in Wild's rout of Bruins
