Possible Maple Leafs Trade for Nikita Kucherov Complicated by Hidden Rule

Nikita Kucherov has asked out of Tampa Bay, and Toronto is among the destinations he’d reportedly consider. Everyone is asking whether the Maple Leafs can win the trade. A better question is whether they can fit him in. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Kucherov told the Lightning he won’t re-sign and wants to be moved. He later said the Leafs and Canadiens are teams the reigning Hart Trophy winner would consider. He has a modified no-trade clause covering 10 teams, and the full list hasn’t been made public.