In an original trade pitch idea, the Vegas Golden Knights would acquire superstar winger Nikita Kucherov from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On Friday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov wants out of Tampa Bay.
If he gets traded, look for the Golden Knights to be in the mix for him, as they always acquire any time an NHL superstar is available for trade.
Golden Knights, Lightning Trade Pitch for Nikita Kucherov
Here is this author’s idea of a trade sending Kucherov from Tampa Bay to Vegas.
Lightning Trade:
- Nikita Kucherov ($9.5 million expiring contract)
Golden Knights Trade:
- Ivan Barbashev ($5 million contract this year and next)
- Brayden McNabb ($3.65 million contract this year and next)
- 2028 1st-round pick (Vegas’ own, top-10 protected)
As part of this trade pitch idea, Kucherov would sign a long-term contract extension with the Golden Knights, ensuring that the Golden Knights would have him long term.
Why This Trade Works
For the Golden Knights, it’s obvious why they would do this trade.
Kucherov is one of the best players in the league, hands down. He is the reigning Hart Memorial Trophy winner as the NHL MVP and is coming off a season where he scored 130 points.
Though Kucherov is 33 years old, he is not slowing down anytime soon and appears to be an Alexander Ovechkin-type who will be highly productive into his late 30s and 40s.
But with Kucherov wanting out, the Lightning need to get what they can for him before he leaves as a free agent next season and he walks for nothing.
In this original trade pitch, the Golden Knights would send the 30-year-old Barbashev back to the Lightning. Barbashev is a very good player who is coming off a season where he played 82 games for Vegas with 23 goals and 61 points. He is also a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Golden Knights and St. Louis Blues.
As well, the Lightning will acquire the 34-year-old McNabb, who is an excellent, underrated defenseman who has played in Vegas for the past decade. He would be a great fit in Tampa Bay on their bottom pair and help them win now.
In addition, Tampa Bay would get a top-10 protected first-round pick from Vegas in this trade pitch.
From a cap perspective, this will be a tight trade for the Golden Knights to make, as they are so tight up against the salary cap right now. But the money is close enough that they can make another small move if they have to make the money work.
Overall, this looks like a good trade for both teams, as Vegas will add another elite winger, while the Lightning get two good players who can help them win now and next year, plus a top-10 protected first-round pick that they can use to draft a player with.
So, do you like this trade idea? Do you think it favors one team over the other, or do you think it’s the best type of trade, which is fair for both franchises?
Golden Knights Trade Pitch Sees Team Land Nikita Kucherov