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Lightning coach Cooper says Kucherov is '100% a part of the team' despite trade request
By Rick Mayer
October 31, 2026 at 7:12 PM EDT
A day after saying he would not re-sign with Tampa Bay, Nikita Kucherov was in the lineup and had a multipoint game at Nashville. Coach Jon Cooper says, "Kuch is going to play like the superstar he is."
A day after requesting a trade, Tampa Bay Lightning star winger Nikita Kucherov was in the lineup and had a multipoint game during Saturday’s game at Nashville.
That’s not a surprise to Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who said the NHL’s reigning most valuable player is “100% a part of the team.”
"I will sit here and tell you nothing has changed in what our goals are this year, just maybe the context of how it is going to go about,” Cooper told reporters before Predators' 5-4 overtime victory. “He wants to be a part of this team for this season, and he is committed to be with the group that loves him and the group he loves.”
Kucherov is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, when an eight-year, $76 million contract expires. Kucherov and his agent, Dan Milstein, have been trying to work out a contract extension since the end of last season.
ALSO READ: 'No intention' of trading Kucherov: Lightning GM responds to reports superstar wants out
On Friday, they informed general manager Julien BriseBois that Kucherov was no longer interested in re-signing and was requesting a trade, according to multiple media reports.
Brisebois responded in a statement that said he had “no interest” in dealing the franchise’s career points leader.
On Saturday, Cooper warned observers not to read anything – good or bad – into Kucherov’s play as the team seeks its 13th playoff berth in 14 seasons.
“What I don't want to get skewed in all of this is, if Kuch turns the puck over or the play does not go exactly his way and he shows frustration or, at some point, the coach who is coaching him is showing frustration with him or somebody else on the team and then everybody says, 'Oh, my God. He wants out.' That will not be the case,” Cooper said.
“Jon Cooper will coach the team the way Jon Cooper has always coached the team and Kuch is going to play like the superstar he is and the way he has for a decade and a half, and that is how it is going to continue. All the rest of it is outside noise.
“For Kuch internally, what happens after our season is over, that's Kuch's right and he has earned that right for whatever happens. For us, it probably made the team stronger.”
ALSO READ: Nikita Kucherov becomes the Lightning’s career points leader, passing Steven Stamkos
The Athletic reported that Kucherov told teammates of his plans during the Lightning's flight to Nashville on Friday.
“We obviously knew about it so it wasn’t news to us when it came out, but it was a tough day,” said Lightning captain Victor Hedman, who has been a teammate of Kucherov's for 13 seasons.
The team consensus was that Kucherov's request created no distractions on the ice or in the locker room.
“That’s his business,” forward Brayden Point said. “He’s my teammate, he’s my friend, and that’s how I’ll treat him. He's gonna play hard, and we can't look into the future. Right now, he's a Bolt, and like I said, he's a friend, and that's how I'll go about it."
Veteran defenseman John Carlson, an offseason free agent addition to the Lightning, has practiced and played with Kucherov for only a couple of months.
"I think it was surprising to everyone," Carlson said. "Once you get on the ice, there’s only so many things you can worry about. I can’t speak for him, but for me, we’re focused on what I can do on the ice. That’s as important as ever to me. That’s how I think.”
Nashville's Steven Stamkos, who held the Lightning scoring mark until Kucherov broke it last week, said, "My reaction was probably the same as all of yours. You don't expect to see something like that."
Stamkos and Kucherov played together in Tampa Bay for 11 seasons, from 2013-14 through 2023-24, and won a pair of Stanley Cups together. Many observers have pointed out similarities in Kucherov's current path and Stamkos' free-agency departure from the Bolts.
ALSO READ: Lightning open their season with a familiar core and something left to prove
After more than a year of stalled contract negotiations, Stamkos signed a four-year, $32 millionas contract with Nashville in 2024, frustrated by what he viewed as an inadequate offer from BriseBrois despite his desire to finish his career in Tampa.
"Obviously, I have the world of respect for him," Stamkos said. "Everyone knows what I think of him as a player and as a person. Getting a chance to play with him for so long, he was a huge part of my success. I still keep in touch with him."
Kucherov has been seeking a six-year extension with an average annual value in the range of $20 million, the Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported.
Kucherov has a modified no-trade clause, which allows him to submit a 10-team list of approved teams for Tampa Bay to work with, ESPN reported.
“Nikita has spoken to all the parties involved and there's nothing else to add at this time,'' Milstein told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun late Friday.
Kucherov had three points against Nashville, adding to his franchise-best tally of 1,142. For the season, he has For the season, he has four goals and 14 assists for 18 points over 13 games.
"He still looked pretty good out there," Stamkos said.
The 33-year-old Russian has helped Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup twice with two other appearances in the finals, led the NHL in scoring three times, and was voted the recipient of the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2018-19 and 2025-26.
That’s not a surprise to Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who said the NHL’s reigning most valuable player is “100% a part of the team.”
"I will sit here and tell you nothing has changed in what our goals are this year, just maybe the context of how it is going to go about,” Cooper told reporters before Predators' 5-4 overtime victory. “He wants to be a part of this team for this season, and he is committed to be with the group that loves him and the group he loves.”
Kucherov is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, when an eight-year, $76 million contract expires. Kucherov and his agent, Dan Milstein, have been trying to work out a contract extension since the end of last season.
ALSO READ: 'No intention' of trading Kucherov: Lightning GM responds to reports superstar wants out
On Friday, they informed general manager Julien BriseBois that Kucherov was no longer interested in re-signing and was requesting a trade, according to multiple media reports.
Brisebois responded in a statement that said he had “no interest” in dealing the franchise’s career points leader.
On Saturday, Cooper warned observers not to read anything – good or bad – into Kucherov’s play as the team seeks its 13th playoff berth in 14 seasons.
“What I don't want to get skewed in all of this is, if Kuch turns the puck over or the play does not go exactly his way and he shows frustration or, at some point, the coach who is coaching him is showing frustration with him or somebody else on the team and then everybody says, 'Oh, my God. He wants out.' That will not be the case,” Cooper said.
“Jon Cooper will coach the team the way Jon Cooper has always coached the team and Kuch is going to play like the superstar he is and the way he has for a decade and a half, and that is how it is going to continue. All the rest of it is outside noise.
“For Kuch internally, what happens after our season is over, that's Kuch's right and he has earned that right for whatever happens. For us, it probably made the team stronger.”
ALSO READ: Nikita Kucherov becomes the Lightning’s career points leader, passing Steven Stamkos
The Athletic reported that Kucherov told teammates of his plans during the Lightning's flight to Nashville on Friday.
“We obviously knew about it so it wasn’t news to us when it came out, but it was a tough day,” said Lightning captain Victor Hedman, who has been a teammate of Kucherov's for 13 seasons.
The team consensus was that Kucherov's request created no distractions on the ice or in the locker room.
“That’s his business,” forward Brayden Point said. “He’s my teammate, he’s my friend, and that’s how I’ll treat him. He's gonna play hard, and we can't look into the future. Right now, he's a Bolt, and like I said, he's a friend, and that's how I'll go about it."
Veteran defenseman John Carlson, an offseason free agent addition to the Lightning, has practiced and played with Kucherov for only a couple of months.
"I think it was surprising to everyone," Carlson said. "Once you get on the ice, there’s only so many things you can worry about. I can’t speak for him, but for me, we’re focused on what I can do on the ice. That’s as important as ever to me. That’s how I think.”
Nashville's Steven Stamkos, who held the Lightning scoring mark until Kucherov broke it last week, said, "My reaction was probably the same as all of yours. You don't expect to see something like that."
Stamkos and Kucherov played together in Tampa Bay for 11 seasons, from 2013-14 through 2023-24, and won a pair of Stanley Cups together. Many observers have pointed out similarities in Kucherov's current path and Stamkos' free-agency departure from the Bolts.
ALSO READ: Lightning open their season with a familiar core and something left to prove
After more than a year of stalled contract negotiations, Stamkos signed a four-year, $32 millionas contract with Nashville in 2024, frustrated by what he viewed as an inadequate offer from BriseBrois despite his desire to finish his career in Tampa.
"Obviously, I have the world of respect for him," Stamkos said. "Everyone knows what I think of him as a player and as a person. Getting a chance to play with him for so long, he was a huge part of my success. I still keep in touch with him."
Kucherov has been seeking a six-year extension with an average annual value in the range of $20 million, the Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported.
Kucherov has a modified no-trade clause, which allows him to submit a 10-team list of approved teams for Tampa Bay to work with, ESPN reported.
“Nikita has spoken to all the parties involved and there's nothing else to add at this time,'' Milstein told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun late Friday.
Kucherov had three points against Nashville, adding to his franchise-best tally of 1,142. For the season, he has For the season, he has four goals and 14 assists for 18 points over 13 games.
"He still looked pretty good out there," Stamkos said.
The 33-year-old Russian has helped Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup twice with two other appearances in the finals, led the NHL in scoring three times, and was voted the recipient of the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2018-19 and 2025-26.