Reigning MVP Nikita Kucherov requests trade from Lightning, reports say

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov, the reigning Hart Memorial Trophy winner as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player, has requested a trade and stated he will not sign a contract extension with the team, according to multiple reports Friday.

Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman first reported that the 33-year-old winger told the organization and his teammates that he intends to leave when his current contract ends after this season. TSN and The Athletic reporter Pierre LeBrun reported that Kucherov informed his teammates during the Lightning’s team flight to Nashville on Friday, following an afternoon meeting between the player, his agent Dan Milstein, and Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois.

Both BriseBois and Milstein declined to comment on the matter, according to reports.

Contract Details and Trade Parameters

Kucherov is currently playing in the final season of an eight-year, $76 million contract that carries an average annual value of $9.5 million. He holds a modified no-trade clause, according to PuckPedia and LeBrun, which allows him to provide a list of 10 approved destinations to which he can be moved.

Unlike other marquee NHL players who have recently sought trades, Kucherov plans to remain in the lineup while the Lightning explore options, LeBrun reported. Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin is currently sitting out indefinitely without pay after demanding a trade, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was suspended by the Winnipeg Jets earlier this fall for a similar holdout before being dealt to the New Jersey Devils.

A Franchise Icon Seeking an Exit

The trade request marks a sudden and jarring turn for one of the most successful franchises of the past decade. Selected by the Lightning in the 2011 draft, Kucherov has spent all 13 seasons of his NHL career in Tampa Bay, leading the franchise to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.

Kucherov captured the Hart Trophy in 2019 and again for the 2025-26 season, during which he tallied 130 points on 44 goals and 86 assists. Over 891 career games with Tampa Bay, he has compiled 405 goals and 734 assists for 1,139 points, recently surpassing former captain Steven Stamkos as the franchise’s all-time scoring leader.

The move comes despite a solid start for the Lightning, who entered Friday with an 8-3-1 record and sit third in the Atlantic Division. Kucherov has registered four goals and 11 assists so far this season, though news accounts differed on his appearances, with Bleacher Report noting 12 games played and Fox News citing 14.

While no specific grievance was detailed in reports, Tampa Bay has suffered four consecutive first-round exits from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, most recently losing in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens last spring.

BriseBois now faces the prospect of orchestrating a blockbuster trade for the league’s top player rather than risking losing him for nothing in free agency, while prospective contenders will likely weigh the assets needed to acquire an elite scorer whose future beyond this season remains unsettled.