Nikita Kucherov Ranked as NHL's Third Best Player as Contract Negotiations Stall

The Tampa Bay Lightning return to the ice this week and the NHL Network has finished their rankings of the top-50 players in the National Hockey League. Tampa was well represented across the top-50 with Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point, and Andrei Vasilevskiy all making the list.

Now, the reigning MVP comes in at third in the NHL, right behind the other Hart Trophy finalists Nathon Mackinnon and Connor McDavid. Kucherov had a plus-43 rating and NHL-best points-per-game average of 1.71, in route to one of the closest Hart Trophy finishes of all time.

Nikita Kucherov of the @TBLightning captured the Hart Trophy in 2026 and comes in at #⃣3⃣ on NHL Network's Top Players list!

📺: #NHLTopPlayers on NHL Network pic.twitter.com/UA02JLaZCm
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) September 27, 2026

So while Kucherov is still in his prime, Tampa has a huge contract decision to make regarding the future Hall of Famer. One that many Lightning fans may get deja vu from.

That's because just a few seasons ago Tampa let their Captain Steven Stamkos walk. Tampa can't make that same mistake with Kucherov.

Per rumors, Kucherov is looking for ~$20M. With the expected $127.5M Cap, $20M will be 15.69% of the Cap in Year 2 of a new deal (2028-29). The same percentage of the Cap was $15M in 2025-26#GoBolts https://t.co/J8cADjxUPz pic.twitter.com/GytE2dAQ8P
— Benchrates (@benchrates) September 26, 2026

As we have reported in the past, Tampa still wants to get a deal done with their MVP. General Manager Julien BriseBois had this to say on the Bolts media day:

“Both parties, I know, would have preferred to have the deal done today to be able to put that behind us. We haven't been able to do that. I'm still in touch with his agent. We're going to keep the lines of communication open with the goal remaining to be to get Nikita assigned to a contract that's going to keep him in Tampa for many years to come”
Julien BriseBois

With Cole Makar being the NHL's highest pad player at $20.4 million it is reasonable for Kucherov to want that much, and with the increasing cap, it is reasonable for Tampa to award Kucherov with a contract at that price, and even one that would reset the current NHL contract market.

Kucherov and the Lightning have until July 1st, 2027 to get a deal done, and with the seasons beginning upon us, who knows when/if they would reach a deal in the near future.

Either way, it is something that Tampa needs to get done.

The Lightning have already made this mistake once, and even though Julien BriseBois defended his past decision by believing he wouldn't be capable of building a Championship team if he had met Stamkos contract expectations, this is Nikita Kucherov we are talking about, one of the greatest players in this great games' history, right in the middle of his prime.

While Kucherov ranks as the third best player in the NHL, it will mean nothing for Tampa if he isn't here to help them hoist another Stanley Cup Trophy.

Add us as a preferred source on Google