Pierre LeBrun says the Canadiens could be on Nikita Kucherov's trade list, but Tampa Bay would never deal him inside the division.
The Lightning lost 5-4 in a shootout at Nashville last night, and Kucherov piled up three assists in 23:41 of ice time. The trade chatter surrounding him keeps getting louder anyway.
LeBrun wrote in The Athletic on Saturday that it wouldn't shock him if Montreal were on that list. He pointed to July 1 as the date to keep in mind if Kucherov goes to market.
That "if" carries a lot of weight. Kucherov's deal carries a $9,500,000 cap hit through 2026-27, he's set to be an unrestricted free agent at expiry, and no extension has been signed.
The negotiation hasn't been smooth. Elliotte Friedman reported that Nikita Kucherov's contract talks and Leo Carlsson's AAV are tied together, which tells you the sides are still working through the structure of a deal.
On the ice, he isn't slowing down at 33. Kucherov has 4 goals and 14 assists in 13 games this season, with a +5 rating.
| GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | |
| 2026-27 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 18 | +5 |
| Career | 892 | 404 | 737 | 1141 | +205 |
Montreal doesn't need a rescue. The Canadiens are 9-3-2, riding a five-game winning streak, and sit 5th in the NHL after beating Pittsburgh 5-4 on Saturday behind a goal and an assist from Chris Kreider.
That's exactly why Kucherov would be a luxury worth chasing. A team already winning with Lane Hutson running the back end would be adding a 1,141-point career producer, not patching a hole.
Why Tampa Bay won't trade Kucherov inside the Atlantic
LeBrun stressed that there's zero chance the Lightning ever move Kucherov to a divisional rival.
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Both clubs play in the Atlantic, with Montreal 2nd and Tampa Bay 4th. Helping a direct competitor in the standings is a non-starter for any front office, and Julien Brisebois has little reason to entertain it.
The Lightning are 8-3-2 and have won all six of their home games, but they're 2-3-2 on the road. The market has also shown plenty of interest elsewhere, including a mock trade that would send Nikita Kucherov to the Utah Mammoth.
For now, both teams play Tuesday, Montreal at home against Winnipeg and Tampa Bay at home against Detroit. If Kucherov reaches free agency, July 1 becomes the day Montreal's name gets tested for real.
Should the Canadiens make Nikita Kucherov their top free-agent target on July 1?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Lightning raised Kucherov's offer and it appears to have caused the breaking point in Tampa
