Maple Leafs trade sends star forward to Tampa Bay for Kucherov in latest blockbuster proposal
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A mock trade sends Nikita Kucherov to the Maple Leafs for William Nylander, and the contract details make this one worth a serious debate.
A new mock trade from Maietta Sports is getting hockey fans talking, and it's a blockbuster.
Toronto lands Nikita Kucherov, who would sign a five-year deal at $20 million per season starting in 2027-28.
Tampa Bay gets William Nylander in return.
It's all just for fun.
Still, the names are hard to ignore.
Kucherov is the reigning Hart Trophy winner after putting up 130 points in 76 games last season, and he just passed Steven Stamkos for the most points in Lightning history.
He's 33 and playing out the final year of an eight-year contract with a $9.5 million cap hit.
Why Toronto would say yes
Toronto's side is easy to understand.
Kucherov is one of the best playmakers in the sport, and he'd give the Leafs a true superstar on the wing.
Florida has no state income tax, so the Lightning hold a real advantage when his new deal gets negotiated.
Nylander isn't a throw-in, though.
He scored 30 goals last season, carries an $11.5 million cap hit through 2031-32, and opened this year with 12 points in his first eight games.
The risk on both ends
For the Leafs, $20 million a year is a massive commitment to a player who turns 34 next June.
The deal would run through 2031-32, and the cap is only expected to rise from $104 million to $113.5 million in 2027-28.
Tampa would be giving up the league's reigning MVP for a younger forward who is 30 and locked in long term.
That's a real gamble, but it solves their biggest question about Kucherov's future.
So who says no? Toronto might love the upside, but Tampa has little reason to move him.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Wild reportedly offer massive trade package for Dylan Larkin involving several pieces
Wild reportedly offer massive trade package for Dylan Larkin involving several pieces