Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov have been teammates in Tampa Bay for five seasons, a stretch that includes Kucherov’s second Hart Trophy last season and the franchise points record he took from Steven Stamkos on Oct. 24. Kucherov’s 15 points through 12 games ranked second on the Lightning behind Hagel, which says plenty about how much of the Lightning’s offence runs through the two of them.
Brandon Hagel was asked about Nikita Kucherov’s trade request after practice Monday, and his answer walked a careful line: defend the friend, avoid the front office, and land a not-so-subtle elbow on two other stars who recently asked out. He never named Dylan Larkin or Connor Hellebuyck, but it sure feels like they were implied.
“It’s not like he committed here for eight years and asked out, two years into it. This is a different situation… He didn’t quit on us. He doesn’t give up on us. It’s just the reality of hockey and the reality of those types of situations,” said Hagel.
Dylan Larkin asked for a trade out of Detroit in June with five years left on the eight-year deal he signed in 2023, an $8.7 million cap hit, and he has since been suspended without pay for refusing to play. Connor Hellebuyck requested a move with five seasons remaining on his seven-year contract at $8.5 million, and the Winnipeg Jets finally traded him to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 23.
Nikita Kucherov’s situation is entirely different. He is in the final season of the eight-year, $76 million contract he signed in 2018, a $9.5 million cap hit, and he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Brandon Hagel advises fans on how to treat Nikita Kucherov in first home game since trade request
Tuesday night’s game against the Red Wings will be the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s first home game since Nikita Kucherov told the team Friday he would not re-sign.
When asked how Lightning fans should treat Kucherov in their home arena tomorrow, Brandon Hagel advised:
“… as a fan, I think you should appreciate what he’s done for the city, what he’s done for this organization. What he’s done for myself personally, he’s a really good friend of mine,” said Hagel.
In his interview, Kucherov was appreciative of the Lightning organization and the city of Tampa:
“I got drafted here, this is my 14th year. A couple championships, met a lot of great people. Everything. My kids grew up here, and I’m forever grateful for this organization.”
Edited by Srihari Anand
