Pretty much every fanbase in the NHL is gauging whether their team could have a chance to land Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov.
The Colorado Avalanche are not the exception. And while it’s a tantalizing idea to imagine Kucherov lining up alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, there’s one thing that won’t make that situation feasible.
According to reports, Kucherov’s asking price started around the $17 million AAV that the Minnesota Wild gave Kirill Kaprizov. Then, the number spiked following the signings of Leo Carlsson, Macklin Celebrini, and Cale Makar.
Now, any conversation regarding a new contract for Kucherov starts at the threshold that Makar set. And when you think about it, it makes sense.
The Avalanche paid top money for Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner and the NHL’s best defenseman. Kucherov, for his part, is the reigning Hart Trophy winner and an established superstar. So, his thought process is that he deserves at least the same as Makar.
And that’s the situation that makes Kucherov a non-starter for Colorado. Unless he’s somehow willing to take a team-friendly deal, or he is willing to leave money on the table just to get a chance to play with a superstar like MacKinnon, there’s little chance of the Avalanche being able to fit another $20 million cap hit.
Avalanche don’t really need Nikita Kucherov anyway
One of the main arguments I have made regarding Dylan Larkin, who does have the Avalanche on his list, is that Colorado doesn’t really need him.
The same goes for Kucherov.
While the Avalanche could certainly use him on the power play, the bottom line is that his cap hit just doesn’t justify the situation. I would be a proponent of the situation if the Avs didn’t have a high-end winger like Necas playing with MacKinnon.
But since Colorado has Necas, there’s no sense in crippling the team’s financial situation to land a guy like Kucherov.
Make no mistake. The Avalanche would be better off with him in the lineup. But the financial considerations, especially for a 33-year-old, just don’t justify the massive surgery that would be needed to make it happen.
The Avs will be up against the cap next season once Makar’s new contract kicks in. So, there’s really no way to justify bringing in Kucherov at such a ridiculously high price point. Since the Avalanche don’t really need him anyway, it’s an easy pass for Joe Sakic to make.
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