Nikita Kucherov is one potential deal Avalanche have to push for

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov is a potential deal the Colorado Avalanche cannot afford not to at least do their due diligence on.

The Hart Trophy winner blew the doors off a relatively quiet Friday evening by reportedly telling the Lightning that he would not be re-signing with the team and had subsequently requested a trade.

Now, there seem to be other more logical destinations for Kucherov, but the Avalanche would certainly look good.

Unlike Dylan Larkin, Kucherov is a winger. And he’s the type of player that Colorado could really use.

Can you imagine a Nikita Kucherov-Nathan MacKinnon-Martin Necas top line?

That’s something to drool over. Plus, Kucherov is the type of veteran player that Jared Bednar could just plug into the lineup and let ‘em rip.

ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported that Kucherov is looking to play with a superstar. The Avs just happen to have two: MacKinnon and Cale Makar.

There’s one other major upside to acquiring Kucherov: He’s a power play specialist. And it just so happens that the Avs need someone to boost play with the man advantage.

So, is there anything else to say about how good Kucherov would be in Colorado? No, but there are a couple of major considerations to keep in mind.

Bringing Nikita Kucherov to Avalanche won’t be easy

First of all, it wouldn’t be hard to envisage Kucherov accepting a deal to Colorado. Why wouldn’t he? The Avs are a legit Stanley Cup contender. Plus, he’d be joining the team that beat them in the 2022 Final.

That said, there is the acquisition cost to keep in mind. The Avalanche don’t really have much to offer.

But what if the Avalanche sent a couple of guys like Nic Roy and Artturi Lehkonen to Tampa Bay? Lehkonen, while not quite as impressive as Kucherov, could easily fill in his spot in Tampa’s top line. Meanwhile, Nic Roy would give the Bolts a top-nine forward who could help offset the offensive decline.

There’s also one other massive consideration: Kucherov needs a new contract. That’s the whole reason why this request is happening, and, well, the Avalanche would have to figure out if they can re-sign him.

Now, you have to think that clearing Lehkonen and Roy off the books is a major step forward. Meanwhile, the cap increase next season would help. That’s a good idea, except for the fact that Cale Makar’s massive cap hit will kick in next season.

It’s worth pointing out that’s a problem for NEXT season. This year, the Avs wouldn’t have too much trouble fitting Kucherov’s cap hit. Perhaps Joe Sakic might think about just landing Kucherov and then working out the rest on the fly.

Let’s see if Colorado factors into this discussion much the same way it has in the Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck sweepstakes.

One thing is certain: Joe Sakic has to do everything he can to see if there’s a way to bring Nikita Kucherov to Colorado. If it doesn’t work out, it won’t be for a lack of trying.

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