GM: Lightning won't give Nikita Kucherov trade he reportedly requested

Oct 20, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) looks on against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Nikita Kucherov wants out of Tampa Bay, but the Lightning have no intention of trading him, general manager Julien BriseBois said Friday night. The two-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner and reigning NHL MVP informed his teammates of his decision during the team's flight to Nashville on Friday, multiple media outlets reported. The Lightning play the Predators on Saturday. BriseBois responded by posting a statement on the club's X account: "We are aware of the media reports regarding the future of Nikita Kucherov with the Lightning. We unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita." https://t.co/wTTyN2BTug— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) October 31, 2026 Dan Milstein, Kucherov's agent, told ESPN he would "stand by Nikita unconditionally" but had no further comment on the day's developments. Kucherov has been a centerpiece of the Tampa Bay Lightning since making his debut as a 20-year-old in the 2013-14 season. The 33-year-old forward is in the final year of an eight-year, $76 million contract and reportedly is seeking a significant pay increase. The two sides are reportedly far apart in contract negotiations, leading to the Russian winger's trade request. Kucherov has a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a 10-team list of destinations to which he would accept a trade. In 891 career regular-season games, Kucherov has scored 405 goals and added 734 assists for 1,139 points. He passed longtime teammate and current Predator Steven Stamkos as the franchise's all-time leading scorer earlier this week. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer in 2018-19 (128 points), 2023-24 (career-high 144 points) and 2024-25 (121 points). Kucherov amassed 66 points during the Lightning's back-to-back Stanley Cup championship runs in 2020 and 2021. He has 177 points (54 goals, 123 assists) in 159 career playoff games. --Field Level Media