Insider Connects Nikita Kucherov to Montreal Amid Contract Uncertainty

It’s often very loud when a superstar in the NHL is heading into the final year of their contract with the potential to hit free agency at season’s end, yet that hasn’t necessarily been the case thus far with Nikita Kucherov.

That’s because many believe Kucherov is simply going to extend his stay in Tampa Bay, and while that remains the most likely option, until a deal is done speculation about other possibilities is inevitable.

There hasn’t been a lot of that speculation so far, however, on Tuesday, insider Jeff Marek brought up the idea of Kucherov taking his talents to the Montreal Canadiens should he actually leave the only team he’s ever known.

Marek said:

“I could see a world, could you see a world where next July 1 Nikita Kucherov becomes a member of the Montreal Canadiens? There are more Russian players on the horizon that are coming to the Montreal Canadiens, to say nothing about a player mentor for Demidov. The more that I think about this again, if Tampa can’t, and maybe Julien BriseBois can turn around tomorrow and sign him and this conversation goes nowhere. But if there’s a team that you’re looking at for Kucherov, if he gets there and doesn’t sign with Tampa… I think A: he wants to play with smart players, B: I think he wants to win,”

The 33-year-old Kucherov is, as mentioned, about to enter the eighth and final year of the eight-year, $76 million contract extension he signed with the Lightning back in 2018. He’s coming off another massive regular season in which he racked up 130 points (44 goals, 86 assists) in just 76 games played.