Elliotte Friedman gave Maple Leafs fans some hope for a Nikita Kucherov deal, as Toronto is reportedly a team he has interest in joining - one one condition.
The stunning news that Nikita Kucherov had requested a trade away from the Tampa Bay Lightning and after reports came out that the team had given him a fairly low offer on an extension, he's ready to move on and earn his worth.
He's not giving up on the team like his other contemporaries and will continue to play until the situation is resolved. There are only a handful of teams that he's willing to go to, which makes the dogfight to win his services even more intense.
Kucherov to Toronto isn't as far-fetched as it sounds
Maple Leafs fans are absolutely wishing there was a way to bring in Kucherov and despite the insane price tag likely attached - the opportunity to add that level of elite production comes few and far between.
But while it may seem like a pipe dream - Elliotte Friedman is giving them hope.
Friedman explained during his Saturday's Headlines segment on Sportsnet's Saturday night broadcast that Kucherov would entertain a trade to the Maple Leafs (as well as Montreal) but it comes with a very important catch:
I do believe that if Tampa Bay was going to trade him, and Montreal and Toronto could come up with a package that Tampa Bay would like, those are two teams, among many, he [Kucherov] would consider.
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That immediately sent Maple Leafs fans into a frenzy with the possibility to acquire Kucherov, and the fact that he wants to play with young stars means Toronto is definitely an attractive destination.
You have Gavin McKenna as a blossoming superstar, Easton Cowan as a reliable top-six piece whose growth this season has been nothing short of impressive. Plus, he's got star power with Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Kirill Marchenko, and John Tavares to help him out.
Toronto's blue line is the biggest winner of a Kucherov deal
But arguably the biggest beneficiary of a Kucherov-to-Toronto deal would no doubt be Darren Raddysh. His breakout season that led to his signing in Toronto was heavily in part due to Kucherov's playmaking ability.
His knack for always finding Raddysh for a blast from the point was almost clairvoyant as he just knew where to put the puck every single time. Raddysh has been Toronto's best overall defender this year, and has put up nine assists in 16 games.
That's not terrible at all, but when he was signed to score goals based off a 22-goal outburst last year - he needs to start. What better way then to bring in his old running buddy on the PP and watch them work some magic.
Plus, it's not like Raddysh is a short-term piece either, and if those two can come together again and create that chemistry once again then the Maple Leafs may finally have everything they need to push deep into the playoffs.
Do you think the Maple Leafs have a legitimate shot at acquiring Nikita Kucherov?
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Nikita Kucherov linked to three-team trade idea involving Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson