The news regarding Nikita Kucherov’s bombshell trade request has left every fanbase in the NHL hoping their team could be the lucky one to land him.
But according to one notable insider, the Montreal Canadiens might just have a chance to make that happen.
Insider Jeff Marek has stated multiple times this season that the Canadiens could be one of the teams that Kucherov would be willing to play for if given the chance.
“DFO’s Jeff Marek has speculated multiple times since the start of the season that Kucherov has interest in playing for the Montreal Canadiens.”
Now, that’s an interesting development, particularly since the Dylan Larkin rumors have been hot around Montreal.
But it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Habs want to get into the Nikita Kucherov sweepstakes. The Canadiens have been rumored to be in the market for a top-six scorer forever now. The talk involved players like Larkin, Matthew Knies, and even Sidney Crosby at one point.
That’s why it would hardly be ludicrous to imagine the Habs wanting to elbow their way to the head of the Nikita Kucherov line.
While the Tampa Bay Lightning have been clear about their reluctance to trade their all-time leading scorer, one has to think that it might only be a matter of time before the club capitulates and makes a deal somewhere.
Do Canadiens Have a Realistic Chance at Nikita Kucherov?
The biggest question here would be whether the Canadiens have a realistic chance at Nikita Kucherov. The short answer is who knows. There’s no real indication that the Habs could have what the Lightning would want in such a deal.
The longer answer could be yes, depending on how much pressure Kucherov’s camp applies to the Lightning.
If the Habs are really that high on the Lightning superstar’s list, the Bolts may find it hard to resist trading him elsewhere.
On the other hand, it’s worth noting that the Lightning are supposed to be contenders. And because of that, they won’t likely take a futures-based package unless that package can lead to other more useful pieces in the short term.
That makes for a pretty pickle, leaving a complex situation that the Canadiens may not be able to navigate.
Lightning Will Resist Making Trade With Division Rival
There’s one other dimension to consider: The Lightning will likely try to resist trading Nikita Kucherov to an Atlantic Division rival. If that’s the case, the Bolts will try everything they can to avoid sending the reigning Hart Trophy winner to the Canadiens.
With so many unknowns at this point, the entire conversation is purely speculative. There should be more details emerging in the coming days and weeks.
In the meantime, everyone is going off on the information that has trickled out since Elliotte Friedman first dropped the report on Friday evening.
From there, it will be a long way for a deal to get over the line. Judging from the Lightning’s posturing, they’re not going to cave into Nikita Kucherov’s demands. So, it looks like fans could be looking at another long, drawn-out trade request.
Nikita Kucherov Interested in Playing for Canadiens, Insider Says