The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be at the front of the pack when it comes to Nikita Kucherov. The hockey world was put on blast when the Tampa Bay Lightning’s reigning Hart Winner requested a trade. While these trade rumblings linger, news has emerged regarding a familiar name: Ben Hutton.
Before taking on the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, the New York Islanders announced a new addition to their team.
“#Isles Transaction: The New York Islanders have signed defenseman Ben Hutton to a one-year contract (2026-27),” the team announced on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Hutton and the Islanders agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract. This comes a few days after the 33-year-old signed a PTO with the Islanders, hoping to prolong his NHL career.
The Latest Nikita Kucherov Trade Rumblings
Kucherov trade rumblings are swirling right now.
Luckily, for the teams that wish to add him to their roster, he only has a 10-team no trade list attached to his contract. That leaves a lot of wiggle room for another team to swoop in.
Enter the Maple Leafs.
They have a leg up on the majority of the competition for one simple fact: they have Auston Matthews.
According to a recent report, Kucherov would like to play in a big market with a superstar:
“Nikita Kucherov’s request to leave the Tampa Bay Lightning is about more than money, according to an NHL source who spoke to RG.org on condition of anonymity,” RG reports. “The source said the 33-year-old forward wants to lead the league in scoring every year. He also wants to do it on a team with Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews or David Pastrnak, in a market large enough to keep him in the conversation.”
The Maple Leafs would love to add another elite forward to the mix. While Marchenko has cooled off recently, the entire team would get a big kick in the pants if they added someone of Kucherov’s skill level.
As far as big markets are concerned, the Maple Leafs market is arguably the biggest. So, if there was any place that would truly appreciate Kucherov’s greatness, it would be Toronto.
Looking At Ben Hutton
Hutton is a 6-foot-3, 209-pound NHL defender.
Now that he has officially joined the Islanders, Hutton is on his sixth organization. Before today’s contract signing, he has spent time with the Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Maple Leafs, and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Hutton has played 575 games and recorded 139 points while averaging 18:16 in ice time.
It’s always great to see scrappy blueliners carve out a career like Hutton has.
Ex-Toronto Maple Leafs 33-Year-Old Signs New Deal Amid Kucherov Rumblings