REPORT: Leon Draisaitl was ALMOST a Tampa Bay Lightning

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Ryan
September 9, 2022 (8:27 PM)

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The 2019 NHL entry draft was the year of the U.S.A born players. This is the year Jack Hughes went first overall, but also featured players from his U.S development team like Caufield, Zegras, Boldy, Knight, York & Turcotte. It was quite the draft and we are seeing these players develop into NHL stars before our eyes today.

But what didn't develop was a one-for-one trade that would have probably been the biggest blockbuster trade we've seen in decades.

According to NHL insider Jeff Marek, the Tampa Bay Lightning were trying to deal star forward Nikita Kucherov to the Edmonton Oilers. What is crazy to think about is, this is the season that Kucherov scored his career high 128 points.

So what would the Lightning be looking for in return for this superstar? Well, that answer is Leon Draisaitl.

Note from the Jeff Marek show today. He's said numerous times that at the 2019 entry draft in Vancouver Tampa was looking to trade Kucherov. Today was the first time I've heard what the rumored return would have been, Leon Draisaitl. #NHL #GoBolts #LetsGoOilers� NHL Trade Alert (@NHLTradeAlert) June 13, 2022

Kucherov is 2 years older than Draisaitl and has a salary cap of $1 million higher. Both players in the 2018-19 season put up over 100 points, so it was not as if Kucherov was being traded for an up-and-coming Draisaitl, he had already well established himself, but this was his first 50 goal campaign.

Marek did not specify what caused the trade to not go through, but something important to note, it was after this season that the Lightning went on to win 2 straight stanley cups and almost a third, would this have happened if Kucherov was moved?

Kucherov led the Bolts in points during both playoff runs, and by a significant number during the 2nd run, could the Lightning still be working towards a first Stanley cup in the Stamkos era if this trade went through?