Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper insists star winger Nikita Kucherov remains committed to the Lightning despite reports that Kucherov requested a trade Friday. "Kuch is 100% a part of this team," Cooper said before Saturday's game at the Nashville Predators. Kucherov played in the game and has spent all 13 of his NHL seasons with Tampa Bay, winning the Stanley Cup twice.
An unrestricted free agent next summer, Kucherov informed the Lightning he would not sign another contract and gave the team a list of 10 teams to which he'd approve a trade, per sources. General manager Julien Brise Bois said Friday the club has "no intention of trading Nikita."
Cooper said the off-ice news hasn't altered Tampa Bay's on-ice goals. "For us, it probably made the team stronger," he said. The coach cautioned against reading frustration into Kucherov's play, stating Kucherov will play like the superstar he has been for a decade and a half. The Lightning entered Saturday with an 8-3-1 record and the first wild-card spot in the East.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing