Nikita Kucherov's viral message to Steven Stamkos is making waves around the NHL

During the opening faceoff, Kucherov and his former teammate Steven Stamkos found each other and shared a laugh, a small scene that fans quickly passed around social media.

The timing made it even better. Kucherov had requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning one day earlier, according to reports, and Stamkos is now wearing a Predators sweater after 16 seasons in Tampa.

Kucherov also passed Stamkos last week as the franchise's all-time points leader, so the history between them runs deep.

Friendly as it looked, the rest of the afternoon was all business. Kucherov set up three Lightning goals and finished a plus-3, logging 23:41 of ice time, the second most on his team.

He entered the day with four goals and 11 assists through 12 games, the engine of a top line with Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point.

Stamkos had the last laugh. He entered the day tied for the Predators lead with seven goals, then tied this game on the power play at 7:27 of the third period before scoring the lone goal of a four-round shootout to give Nashville a 5-4 win.

For Nashville, the win was a reminder of what Stamkos still brings, and for Tampa Bay it was a reminder of what Kucherov brings every night.

The Lightning have been clear about their stance. General manager Julien BriseBois said the club has no intention of trading Kucherov, and his agent, Dan Milstein, said the winger will keep playing while he handles the business side.

Coach Jon Cooper said Kucherov is fully committed to the group this season and that the outside noise will not change how he coaches the team.

Tampa Bay (8-3-2) returns home Tuesday to host the Detroit Red Wings, and the focus will stay on whether Kucherov's play holds steady while the trade talk grows louder.

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