Roughly 24 hours after the bombshell report regarding Nikita Kucherov’s trade request, the Toronto Maple Leafs have emerged as one of the early contenders for the reigning Hart Trophy winner.
Insider Elliotte Friedman, who first broke the news on Friday, went on the air during the October 31 edition of Saturday Headlines to discuss the latest on the situation. While he was clear about the fact that the details remain sketchy at this point, it was his opinion that the Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens would be two teams that Kucherov would consider a trade to.
“I do believe that, if Tampa was going to trade him, and Montreal and Toronto could come up with a package that Tampa would like, those are two teams among many he would consider.”
The thought of Kucherov heading to Toronto is nothing short of massive. The Leafs already have an impressive lineup. And adding the Lightning’s all-time leading scorer would only give the club even more firepower.
Of course, there’s no need for Maple Leafs fans to get their hopes up just yet. Friedman doubled down on the Lightning’s official statement, saying that the organization has no intention of trading the 33-year-old.
Moreover, there is no certainty that Toronto is even on Kucherov’s approved 10-team trade list. That situation makes Friedman’s statement purely speculative at this point.
Can Friedman Be Actually Right About Kucherov Wanting to Play in Toronto?
Elliotte Friedman has a strong track record of reporting based on facts coming from his sources around the NHL. He’s never had a reputation for being one of those guys putting stuff out there just to get attention.
While Friedman’s reputation does not guarantee that the Maple Leafs would be on Kucherov’s list, Friedman wouldn’t exactly make something like that up.
So, there is some credibility to the Saturday night drop. Again, the revelation is worth taking with a grain of salt, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on as the situation unfolds.
Maple Leafs Face Complicated Path Ahead with Kucherov
There were two other things that Friedman stated which Maple Leafs fans need to keep in mind.
The first thing pertained to the pace in which the Lightning conducted contract extension talks with Kucherov. Friedman stated that the negotiations moved far too slowly for Kucherov’s liking. It was almost as if Tampa Bay was deliberately slow-walking the situation. As such, last season’s leading scorer grew impatient, eventually leading to his decision not to return to Tampa next season.
The other thing Maple Leafs fans need to keep in mind is Kucherov’s expected contract. Friedman noted that prior to the entire Leo Carlsson offer sheet fiasco, Kucherov wanted a deal in the vicinity of Kirill Kaprizov’s $17 million AAV. That number moved when Carlsson signed his deal at $18 million. That line must have also moved when Cale Makar signed for $20 million.
As a result, there’s a sense that Kucherov wants to be among the NHL’s highest-paid players, considering he’s the reigning league MVP.
One of the numbers that Friedman cited was six years times $20 million. Very few teams can do that. And with Toronto, it’s not necessarily the money, it’s the cap space that poses the biggest limitation.
If that’s the ballpark for Kucherov, the Maple Leafs will have a heck of a time signing him to a contract.
Maple Leafs Could Be on Kucherov Trade List, Friedman Believes