- Julien BriseBois says a Nikita Kucherov extension is still a top priority in Tampa
- The Lightning have been in contact with agent Dan Milstein, but free agency took over the past few weeks
- Read below for what BriseBois said and where the deal stands
The Lightning haven’t forgotten about Nikita Kucherov. They’ve just been buried in other work.
Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois told reporters Wednesday that re-signing the reigning NHL MVP is still a top priority, even after a wild stretch of free agency and trades pushed the conversation to the side.
“I’ll reiterate that we would like Nikita to stay here, he would like to stay here,” BriseBois said.
Wednesday marked the first day teams could extend players entering the final year of their contracts. Kucherov landed on that list.
Instead of an announcement, the Lightning spent July 1 signing John Carlson, Ilya Mikheyev and Jeffrey Viel while chasing trades. Here’s the Carlson deal that capped the night:
BriseBois made clear the extension didn’t get ignored. It just wasn’t as urgent as free agents who walk out the door if you wait.
“We’ve had chats,” BriseBois said. “We’ll circle back to his representative, and when we have something to announce we’ll make an announcement.”
The two sides have stayed in touch through Kucherov’s agent, Dan Milstein. No deadline is pushing either party, so Tampa Bay let the market business play out first.
Kucherov is coming off another huge year. He won his second Hart Trophy in June and remains one of the best players on the planet at 33.
His deal carries a $9.5 million cap hit and runs through next season. Back in the spring, Kucherov brushed off the topic and said he wasn’t thinking about it.
Tampa Bay has said all along it wants him signed. Now that free agency has calmed down, the next move is getting Milstein back on the phone.
