Kucherov contract: Pierre LeBrun shares new Lightning update

Pierre LeBrun was told Monday that Nikita Kucherov still won't sign the Lightning's contract offer, and the star winger is not budging.

The offer in question is a six-year deal at $20 million per season, according to the post. That is a massive number, and Kucherov is still saying no.

According to LeBrun, Kucherov is adamant that he feels so disrespected that it's too late for a deal. LeBrun also added a caveat from his own experience in this business.

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The reporter learned a long time ago to never say never. The post says teammates might get to Kucherov over time and try to change his mind, though the text cuts off there.

This has been building all day. One report says Kucherov wants to play with Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews or David Pastrnak, according to an NHL source who spoke to RG.org.

Another report claims his decision on a destination is already made, with the Maple Leafs named as the landing spot. Nothing in that report is confirmed.

Why the Lightning clock is ticking

Kucherov's current deal runs through 2026-27 and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at expiry. He has not signed an extension. That is the whole problem for Tampa Bay.

He is not playing like a man with one foot out the door, either. Through 13 games this season he has 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points, and he sits at +5.

At 33, he already owns 1141 career points over 892 games. A player with that résumé does not need to accept anything he feels is beneath him, and he knows it.

The Lightning now face an ugly choice. Keep riding a disgruntled star through a full season and risk losing him for nothing, or listen to trade offers while his value is at its peak. Neither option is comfortable, and the second one would hurt.

My view: if a player turns down $20 million a year because of respect, no contract number is going to fix it. Tampa Bay should be planning for life without him, even if it hopes otherwise.

The next real checkpoint is the trade market and whether those teammates can actually move the needle before the season gets much older.

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