NHL Rumors: Nikita Kucherov, Jacob Trouba Trade and More Buzz

The NHL season is about to begin, but that doesn't mean the rumors have dried up. Far from it. From contract standoffs to potential trades still in the works, there are some juicy rumors to unearth.

Let's break them down below.

Nikita Kucherov

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The Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov led the team in scoring last season but has been embroiled in a holdout this offseason. That could be coming to a close this week, however.

According to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times: "As contract talks with Tampa Bay and Kucherov, 23, continue, there's a sense of optimism a deal with the restricted free agent can get done this week. It's more likely to be a bridge deal than a long-term deal, especially with the Lightning's salary-cap situation."

And Bob McKenzie of TSN reported the following on Monday evening:

That's a step in the right direction from Sunday, when Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that talks were somewhat stagnant:

"

Here’s the best I can glean with Kucherov. It doesn’t sound like there’s been too much movement here. Everyone knows Tampa’s cap situation. After seeing both Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos take less money to stay, the Lightning are undoubtedly asking Kucherov to do the same, especially since he’s not close to being unrestricted. Whenever a Russian is involved, you wonder about the KHL, but players at the World Cup said they think he wants to stay in Tampa and not go there. That could change if he gets angry, but it’s not his preference.

"

So it seems likely that Kucherov won't get an enormous, long-term extension but could be looking at a shorter deal until the Lightning can clear up some cap space. Friedman did add that he believes Kucherov and his agent, Scott Greenspun, met with at least one team about an offer sheet, but Greenspun declined to comment.

Certainly, the Lightning will want Kucherov for the long haul. He posted 30 goals and 36 assists last season, the second year in a row he's eclipsed 60 points. And at just 23, his best is seemingly to come, meaning the Lightning could have a superstar on their hands.

Well, at least once he reports to the team. This should get resolved sooner rather than later, however, as both sides seem keen to work things out. 

Jacob Trouba

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Jacob Trouba is a Winnipeg Jet, but he probably won't be for long after requesting a trade, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com.

According to Friedman, six teams (Arizona, Buffalo, Boston, Colorado, Detroit and the New York Rangers) are interested in trading for the defenseman, and Friedman speculated that at least two more teams (Dallas and Tampa Bay) could enter the fray.

Friedman wrote: "Apparently, some of those teams have been told they don’t have enough, which has led to them trying to involve third parties."

Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com added that he's heard whispers of three-team trades involving Trouba. And LeBrun reported: "The Jets are telling teams who have inquired about Trouba that they want a young, left-handed, top-four type blueliner in return. It's a high asking price, and also rare for teams to want to trade one young blueliner for another, but that's where things stand."

Trouba, just 22, scored six goals and added 15 assists in 81 games last year. Certainly, Winnipeg should demand a king's ransom for the young defenseman. As LeBrun succinctly noted, "He's not easily replaceable."

Indeed he isn't. It may take a three-team trade for the Jets to get back the right type of value to move on from Trouba.

Evgeny Davydov and Vadim Shipachyov

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Friedman writes:

"

It seems — for now — there’s a little less interest in Russian forwards Evgeny Davydov and Vadim Shipachyov after their World Cup performances. Shipachyov saw his value take a bigger hit, as he was benched until Pavel Datsyuk got hurt. That’s not bad news for the KHL, which would prefer to keep them. Things could change as the season continues. Arizona tried something interesting after acquiring Datsyuk at the draft. The Coyotes asked if they could talk to both players in exchange for releasing Datsyuk’s rights, but St. Petersburg balked. There was a bit of a standoff before the NHL club relented. (GM John Chayka declined comment.) Good try, though.

"

Evgeny Davydov, 49, hasn't played in the NHL since the 1994-95 season, when he appeared in three games with the Ottawa Senators, scoring a goal and notching an assist. Vadim Shipachyov, 29, is highly touted, though he's never appeared in the NHL.

Or at least he was highly touted until his disappointing World Cup. Of course, Russia was fairly disappointing in the World Cup, finishing 2-2 overall with losses to Sweden and Canada. And it seems likely that NHL teams still have interest in bringing Shipachyov to North America, even if that interest has waned somewhat. 

For now, however, he'll be remaining in the KHL.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.