Tampa Bay Lightning sign Nikita Kucherov to three-year, $4.67 million deal
The Tampa Bay Lightning, considered a frontrunner to win the Stanley Cup, put their roster in order for the 2016-17 season by signing key scorer Nikita Kucherov to a three-year deal worth $4.67 million per season.
Kucherov is expected to be in Tampa Bay, and have his medical tests completed, before the Lightning's home opener Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.
This was a compromise "bridge deal" to allow the Lightning to fit Kucherov under their salary cap. Kucherov would have expected more than $6 million per season had he signed a longer-term deal. The only advantage for Kucherov is that he will be a year short of unrestricted free agency the next time he negotiations, which means his bargaining position will be stronger.
Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman has thus far overcome his salary cap challenges to re-sign Andrej Vasilevskiy, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Alex Killorn and Kucherov. But he may have other difficult decisions just ahead.
Next summer, Yzerman will have to re-sign Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Jonathan Drouin among others.
Goalie Ben Bishop's contract is expiring, and it seems likely that the Lightning would deal him or lose him in the expansion draft. But that may not be enough to give Yzerman clear sailing financially.