Lightning's Brandon Hagel Throws Shade At Larkin & Hellebuyck
Listen, Kuch is a good friend, a good teammate. He loves the city. He's done everything he possibly could for the city.It's not like he committed here for eight years and asked out, two years into it.
This is a different situation. He's a friend. We care for him, and I know he's the type of guy that's just going to continue to come out and play as hard as for this team because he does care about us. But other than that, other stuff's out of my pay grade.
Hellebuyck had five years to run on his seven-year deal signed with the Winnipeg Jets in 2023 when he asked for a trade after last season. He finally got his wish last month.
Larkin, who did play for a few weeks with the Detroit Red Wings even though he, too, had asked out after last season, is now holding out. Not playing and not getting paid. He also has five seasons to run (including this one) on his eight-year deal, also signed in 2023.
Kucherov teammate says Tampa fans shouldn't boo him
While Larkin got booed by the home crowd in his first game in Detroit this season and Hellebuyck is sure to get roasted big-time by Jets fans in his first game back in Winnipeg with the Devils next Tuesday, Hagel feels that Tampa fans should do the opposite and celebrate Kucherov.
"It's one of those things where, as a fan, I think you should appreciate what he's done for the city, what he's done for this organization.
"What he's done for myself personally, he's a really good friend of mine. And here, the focus is playing, and that's his focus as well. And that other stuff will take care of itself. Like I said, he didn't quit on us. He doesn't give up on us.
It's just the reality of hockey and reality of those types of situations, and that will get dealt with, and we're going to deal with it over here."
The Lightning host, ironically, the Larkin-less Red Wings, Tuesday night at Benchmark International Arena. In his first game after the trade request, all Kucherov did was go out and record three assists.