The spat between Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman shouldn’t slow down the Canadiens

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
The spat between Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman shouldn’t slow down the Canadiens
Credit: Mike Carlson/Getty Images

Right now, a lot of people in Montreal—both media folks and fans—don't want Nikita Kucherov in town.

Is he perfect? No. But we can all agree that to win, you need players who make a difference. And those guys aren't always easy to manage.

There are so many people looking for reasons not to sign the Lightning veteran that it's refreshing to see well-informed sources pointing out that Kuch has talent and can change the game. You know what the Habs need?

The guy spoke out against Canadiens fans while he was in Tampa Bay in 2021. But that just shows he's the kind of guy who'll go to war for his team, in my opinion.

When he feels respected by the team in question, of course.

I understand that the power of friendship helps the Canadiens win (and that's clearly an important factor), but talent makes the difference, too. And it's okay if some players don't quite fit the mold.

For (almost) 1,000 games, Andrei Markov was a weirdo in the Canadiens' locker room. But that doesn't stop the fans from continuing to love him.

You might say it's not ideal to see Kucherov at odds with his captain, Victor Hedman. That's true.

Martin McGuire, speaking yesterday on 98.5 Sports, mentioned that the two men don't get along. It's certainly not ideal, and it's clear that Hedman isn't the only person in the hockey world who doesn't have a high opinion of Kucherov.

But the Russian, who works very hard compared to the average National Hockey League player, is still respected in the Lightning locker room.

You might say that Brandon Hagel had no choice but to say there's been no animosity between the star and the other players since Friday. But he did have the choice of whether or not to throw Dylan Larkin, Connor Hellebuyck, and company under the bus to prove his point.

“He's done everything he could for this city.

It's not like he signed an eight-year deal and asked to leave after two years. It's a different situation.” – Brandon Hagel on Nikita Kucherov

That speaks volumes.

Remember that it was the negotiations with the Lightning (and the lack of respect, according to the player) that prompted #86 to ask his club to trade him.

The Canadiens should take an interest in this player, who's working hard to age gracefully, who racked up 130 points last season, and who has 177 career playoff points.

Because yes, Julien BriseBois (two months ago, before the recent dispute) had said this about his player… even though he had to keep his cards close to his chest during negotiations.

“I have every reason to believe he'll remain among the elite for much of his thirties.” – Julien BriseBois on Nikita Kucherov

I'm sure the Canadiens, just like the other 30 NHL teams, will take a close look at this. After all, a player like that rarely becomes available overnight.

Many people have every right not to want him. But if the Habs want to win, they need to take an interest in players like this, since Kent Hughes's last 18 months have proven that adding a top-6 player isn't easy in today's NHL.


In Brief

– International hockey: Several countries are refusing to play against Russia.

– Makes sense.

– Phew.

– What will the Preds do?

– Interesting perspective.

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