Something interesting is happening in Tampa Bay, and it isn’t just the Lightning winning hockey games. Nikita Kucherov has reportedly asked to be traded and apparently has no intention of re-signing with the team after this season. Yet, if you didn’t know about the situation, you might think everything was just fine.

Kucherov is still doing what Kucherov does best. He’s making opposing teams pay for giving him even a little room. On Wednesday, he scored three goals and added an assist in Tampa Bay’s 8-3 win over Buffalo. That’s four points in one night, and another reminder that he’s still one of the NHL’s most dangerous players.

But here’s the curious part. He’s doing all this while his relationship with the organization appears to be coming apart.

Not Every Trade Request Looks the Same

We’ve seen players handle trade requests in different ways. Connor Hellebuyck’s situation in Winnipeg eventually reached the point where he stayed away from the team until he was traded. Detroit’s Dylan Larkin has also stopped playing while waiting for his trade request to be resolved.

Kucherov is taking a different road. Since his trade request became public, he’s scored four goals and added seven assists in six games. That’s 11 points, and Tampa Bay has won four of those six games.

We don’t know everything that’s happening behind closed doors, and it’s probably best not to pretend we do. But his performance suggests that whatever frustration he feels about his contract situation hasn’t affected his commitment on the ice.

What Does Tampa Bay Do Now?

This is where things get interesting for Lightning general manager Julian BriseBois. Tampa Bay is still trying to win, and trading Kucherov would mean giving up one of hockey’s best offensive players.

BriseBois has made it clear he isn’t interested in moving his superstar. He’s also been through a similar situation with Steven Stamkos, who wasn’t traded in the final year of his contract and eventually left in free agency for Nashville.

Could Kucherov follow the same path? It’s possible. And if he keeps producing at this rate, Tampa Bay might have even more reason to hold onto him.

Here’s something worth considering as fans: We sometimes assume that when a player wants out, the relationship is finished and the effort will follow. Kucherov reminds us that professional pride, competition, and personal frustration don’t always go hand in hand.

He may not know where he’ll be playing next season. But right now, he’s giving Tampa Bay every reason to keep him for this one.

Related: Is Matvei Michkov’s Flyers Drama About More Than a Trade?