Nikita Kucherov will play tonight as his agent handles business

Nikita Kucherov is playing tonight as the Lightning visit Nashville, and his agent made sure everyone knew it.

Dan Milstein confirmed that his client will suit up today and moving forward while the situation awaits a resolution. The word he used was "Of course."

That's a notable line from a camp that has a trade request hanging over it. It removes one fear right away: no sit-out, no standoff on game day.

Milstein also made clear where the real work will happen. "He loves playing hockey," he said. "He will play while I will take care of the business side going forward."

So the player plays, the agent negotiates, and the Lightning have to live with both at once. Tampa Bay is 8-3-1 and sits 10th in the NHL, fourth in the Atlantic, so this isn't a team in crisis.

The record on the road is a different story. The Lightning are 2-3-1 away from home after going 6-0-0 in their own building, and tonight is another road test.

Kucherov has held up his end. He has 15 points in 12 games, with 4 goals and 11 assists, and he's a +2.

Those numbers matter because they set his price. A 33-year-old producing like that, with Nikita Kucherov's trade request leaving the Lightning in limbo, gives GM Julien Brisebois very little reason to rush.

Kucherov trade market is already shrinking

The list of suitors isn't growing. According to Mike Bartner, five teams will not be in on a Kucherov trade, and that narrows the field before any real talks begin.

Fewer buyers usually means less leverage for the seller. It also means the agent's "business side" has fewer doors to knock on.

Tampa Bay's last outing was a 6-4 win over Winnipeg on Thursday, and the Lightning are 7-2-1 over their last 10. Jon Cooper's group is winning, which makes a quick resolution harder to justify from the team's side.

Kucherov's deal runs through 2026-27 and he's set to hit unrestricted free agency at expiry, with no extension signed. That's the clock hanging over every conversation, and a team that wins this much doesn't want to sell a point-a-game star for futures.

Pierre LeBrun relayed Milstein's comments on Saturday, and the agent was direct about the plan.

-

Puck drop in Nashville comes later today, and every shift Kucherov plays without a deal done only raises the stakes on the next call between Milstein and Brisebois.

Also read on Markerzone.com:
Five teams will not be in on Nikita Kucherov trade, per report