Two-time Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov has told the Tampa Bay Lightning that he won’t re-sign with the team and wants out, reports indicated on Friday. Elliotte Friedman of Canada’s Sportsnet reported that Kucherov, in the final year of his contract, has requested a trade. Friedman cited multiple sources.

Kucherov, 33, is an unrestricted free agent after this season, with a salary cap hit of $9.5 million. That’s 9.13% of the Lightning’s cap space, according to Spotrac. Kucherov was named NHL MVP for the second time after 2025-26, when he had 44 goals, 86 assists and a career-high plus-43 rating. In 2018-19, his other Hart Trophy season, he led the NHL with 87 assists and 128 points.

The Russian right wing is in his 13th season with the organization, where he has been a key member of a team that has won two Stanley Cup teams and made two other trips to the Cup final. Kucherov also owns three Art Ross Trophies as the league’s top scorer.

ESPN also reported that Kucherov requested a trade. The Lightning’s Twitter account posted a brief statement from general manager Julien BriseBois that said, “We are aware of the media reports regarding the future of Nikita Kucherov with the Lightning. We unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita.”

Kucherov Owns Lightning Franchise Records

Last week, Kucherov passed Steven Stamkos as the Lightning’s all-time points leader with 1,138. An assist Thursday against Winnipeg gave Kucherov 1,139 points (405 goals, 734 assists). That’s not the only franchise record he owns; he also tops the Lightning for career assists (734), plus/minus (plus-202), even-strength assists (433) and power-play assists (301).

He is not only one of the most prolific, but one of the most popular players in Lightning history. The crowd at Benchmark International Arena gave Kucherov a standing ovation on Thursday after the team played a video honoring his career scoring milestone.

The Lightning selected Kucherov in the second round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He was called up to the NHL in November 2013 and quickly became a key member of a young core that reached the 2015 Cup final before losing to the Chicago Blackhawks. That team featured four forwards with 60 or more points, all age 25 or younger. Of that quartet, Kucherov, Stamkos and Ondrej Palat were still on the Lightning for back-to-back Cups in 2019-20 and 2020-21. In the latter, Kucherov missed the regular season on Long Term Injured Reserve (hip) but returned for the playoffs and led the team with 32 points in 23 postseason games.