The Lightning didn't hesitate to lock up one of their own star players until 2027.

Right wing Nikita Kucherov signed an eight-year, $76 million extension that kicks in for the 2019-20 season, with an average annual salary of $9.5 million against the salary cap. Kucherov would have been a restricted free agent next summer. He has one more year on his current contract, carrying a $4,766,667 cap hit.