Pierre LeBrun says it would shock him if the Vegas Golden Knights don't get involved in the Nikita Kucherov sweepstakes.
The Tampa Bay Lightning star's future has been the biggest talking point around the league for days, and Vegas is now firmly part of it. LeBrun's reasoning is simple: the Golden Knights have a long record of landing major star players.
Per a post from R i N K Y on Monday's report, LeBrun said it would shock him if Vegas stayed out of it, based on that successful history of attracting stars.
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That follows Pierre LeBrun's earlier Vegas Golden Knights suggestion on Monday, when The Athletic's insider first pointed to them as a team to watch. Now he's sounding more certain than he did then.
Kucherov is 33 and still producing. He has 18 points in 13 games this season, with 4 goals and 14 assists, and he's a +5.
A player like that doesn't hit the market often. Any contender with cap flexibility and a pitch will at least pick up the phone.
Why Vegas fits the Kucherov puzzle
The Golden Knights have built their reputation on being aggressive when a superstar becomes available. LeBrun is leaning on that pattern, and it's a fair read of how this franchise operates.
Kucherov has his own preferences, too. An NHL source told RG.org that he wants to play alongside Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews or David Pastrnak, according to Nikita Kucherov's reported wish list of linemates. Vegas isn't on that list, which complicates any simple matching of player and destination.
Then there's the contract. He's in the final season of his deal and is set to be an unrestricted free agent at expiry, with no extension signed. That means whoever trades for him is likely renting him unless a new agreement gets done.
Vegas as a landing spot sounds natural on paper. Whether Kucherov wants it, and what Tampa Bay would demand, is a different matter entirely, and nobody has said a word publicly on either front.
The Lightning's next move is the thing to watch. With more teams being linked to Kucherov every day, a decision from Tampa Bay can't be far off.
Should the Lightning trade Nikita Kucherov to Vegas if he doesn't pick the destination himself?
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