Cooper: Kucherov committed despite trade request — SkimNews
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- Nikita Kucherov requested a trade from Tampa Bay, informed teammates before the team landed in Nashville and gave the Lightning a list of 10 teams he would approve, ESPN reported.
- Kucherov told the Lightning he would not sign another contract and is an unrestricted free agent next summer.
- Julien BriseBois said in a Friday-night statement that Tampa Bay had "unequivocally" no intention of trading Kucherov, while acknowledging reports about his future.
- Jon Cooper said Kucherov was "100% a part" of the Lightning and committed to the group for this season; Kucherov was in the lineup for Saturday's game in Nashville.
- Cooper cautioned that frustration from Kucherov on the ice should not be read as evidence he wants out, saying he would coach as always and Kucherov would continue playing like the superstar he had been for 15 years.
- Kucherov has played all 13 of his NHL seasons with Tampa Bay, winning two Stanley Cups, two Hart Trophies and three scoring titles; he turns 34 next June.
- Lightning entered Saturday with an 8-3-1 record and the first wild-card spot in the East, while Cooper said the off-ice news had not changed the team's goals.
Why it matters: For Tampa Bay, the immediate consequence is roster continuity: the Lightning keep a two-time Hart Trophy winner while carrying an 8-3-1 record despite BriseBois's no-trade stance. The unresolved point comes next summer, when Kucherov becomes an unrestricted free agent after telling the team he will not re-sign.
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