Nikita Kucherov wants to be among the highest paid players in NHL history.
The Tampa Bay Lightning forward is seeking a six-year contract with an average annual value of at least $20 million on his next contract, league sources tell Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
Kucherov told the Lightning he would not re-sign and wanted to be traded, with news of his request first reported Friday.
Kucherov was probably willing to take less than $20 million per season before the NHL contract landscape exploded this summer with monster deals for Leo Carlsson, Macklin Celebrini and Cale Makar, among others, LeBrun adds. Once those pacts were signed, there would have been no scenario in which Kucherov would accept less than $20 million over six years from the Lightning. That’s the contract Kucherov will demand from other teams in a sign-and-trade or free agency when the market opens July 1, according to LeBrun.
Makar’s AAV of $20.4 million is currently shaping up to be the highest in NHL history when his extension begins next season, followed by Celebrini’s at $18.8 million.
The Lightning reportedly offered Kucherov a four-year contract with an AAV of $15 million during the first week of July. They increased the term to six years in September, but did not increase the AAV, according to LeBrun.
However, Kucherov will not sign with Tampa Bay even if the organization relents and meets the asking price, according to LeBrun. Kucherov said Monday that his trade request stemmed from a “lack of communication and respect” from the Lightning, noting that his camp and the club have only spoken twice in the past four months.
Kucherov reportedly has a strong relationship with Lightning head coach Jon Cooper and would play the remainder of the season in Tampa Bay if a trade does not occur. Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said he has no plans to trade the star winger.
Kucherov is in the final season of an eight-year contract carrying an AAV of $9.5 million. The 33-year-old led the NHL in scoring in two of the last three years and won his second Hart Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2025-26 when he racked up 44 goals and 130 points in 76 games. He has collected 18 points in 13 appearances to start the new campaign.
A second-round pick of the Lightning in 2011, Kucherov spent his entire career in Tampa Bay. He led the franchise to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, leading the playoffs in scoring each time.
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