- Victor Hedman says the Lightning knew about Nikita Kucherov’s trade request before it leaked
- Brayden Point calls Kucherov’s contract situation “his business”
- Read below for Steven Stamkos, John Carlson and Jon Cooper on the Kucherov fallout
Nikita Kucherov’s trade request did not catch the Lightning locker room off guard.
Captain Victor Hedman talked about how the news landed after Tampa Bay’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Predators on Saturday.
“We obviously knew about it, so it wasn’t news to us when it came out. It was a tough day.”
Hedman has been Kucherov’s teammate for all 13 of his seasons in Tampa. Kucherov had three assists in the loss, a day after reports surfaced that he told the team he won’t re-sign. We broke down that three-assist night earlier Saturday.
John Carlson is in his first season with Kucherov after 17 years in Washington and a stop in Anaheim last year. He talked about keeping his focus on the ice.
“I think it was surprising to everyone. Once you get on the ice, there’s only so many things you can worry about. I can’t speak for him, but for me, we’re focused on what I can do on the ice.”
Brayden Point was asked whether the contract situation will change anything for his linemate. He kept it short.
“That’s his business. He’s my teammate, he’s my friend, and that’s how I’ll treat him. He’s going to play hard. Right now, he’s a Bolt.”
Steven Stamkos had the most interesting seat in the building. Tampa Bay’s former captain left the Lightning on rocky terms as a free agent in 2024, then tied the game on the power play and scored the shootout winner for Nashville. The Predators named him the first star, with Kucherov second.
Stamkos explained his reaction to the trade request.
“My reaction was probably the same as all of yours. You don’t expect to see something like that. Obviously I have the world of respect for Kuch. I still keep in touch with him. It is what it is at this point. He still looked pretty good out there tonight.”
Kucherov did not speak to the media after the game. He and Stamkos did share a moment before the opening faceoff:
The Lightning have already answered publicly. GM Julien BriseBois said the team has no intention of trading Kucherov, and Jon Cooper said the drama made the team stronger.
Kucherov is in the final year of an eight-year, $76 million deal he signed in July 2018. He has been eligible to sign an extension since July 1 and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. His 18 points lead Tampa Bay, and his 1,142 career points are the most in franchise history, ahead of Stamkos.
