Center Evgeny Kuznetsov had a good NHL career, though it was inconsistent. His primary success included a memorable stint with the Washington Capitals, including putting the dagger in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ hearts in 2018 on the way to the Capitals’ Stanley Cup championship, and his most recent NHL stint with the Carolina Hurricanes.
However, Kuznetsov spent this past season with the KHL’s SKA Saint Petersburg in his native Russia. Now, the 33-year-old wants to make a return to the NHL, and his agent claims there are two teams in the running to sign him.
Kuznetsov’s Capitals Tenure
One NHL team Kuznetsov will forever be associated with is the Capitals. The Russian center was selected 26th overall by the team in the 2010 NHL Draft but spent time in the KHL before finally making his Capitals debut in March 2014.
In his prime, he was known for his intense play, clutch moments, and the dirty bird celebration.
However, Kuznetsov truly shone for the Capitals in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In Game 6 of the second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he scored the Game 6 game-winning goal in OT. That tally sent Washington to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years, and the team finally got a Stanley Cup ring as the Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Final.
Unfortunately, towards the end of his Capitals tenure, Kuznetsov’s production began to decline. His last season in Washington was 2023-24 as he was sent down to Hershey. After 11 years, Kuznetsov ended his Capitals tenure with 568 points (171 goals, 397 assists) in 723 games.
Kuznetsov’s Post-Capitals Tenure
Kuznetsov spent some brief time with the Hershey Bears before getting traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in March 2024. As a Hurricane, he recorded seven points in 20 games, along with six more in the playoffs. However, he requested and was granted the termination of this final year of his contract to return to Russia.
Kuznetsov signed a four-year deal with SKA Saint Petersburg with plans to stay in Russia the rest of his career. The 33-year-old went on to have a solid year with the team, recording 12 goals and 25 assists in 39 games. However, the final three seasons of his agreement were terminated back in April. Kuznetsov then decided to return to North America instead of signing with another Russian team.
Kuzy’s Possible NHL Return
Now a free agent, Kuznetsov is eyeing a possible return to the NHL. His agent, Shumi Babaev, told Sports Daily’s Mikhail Nyukhin that two teams are in the running to sign him. But he didn’t specify which teams, and both teams are now in the process of trying to open up salary cap space to sign Kuznetsov. When asked about him signing a minimum-salary contract worth $775k, Babaev indicated no talks regarding a minimum salary.
Some have speculated whether Kuznetsov might return to the Capitals. However, there are questions regarding his commitment and consistency, which haven’t been visible in the past few seasons. Also, Washington is looking to add younger players at depth positions.
It would seem that if Kuznetsov were Capitals-bound, it would have already happened. With the crop of young players such as Ryan Leonard and Andrew Cristall hoping to make an NHL mark this season, the Capitals don’t need to clog the roster with a 33-year-old player with a checkered past.
Harry Lichtman is an award-winning journalist who covers the Washington Capitals for Sportsnaut. He also contributes to the sites … More about Harry Lichtman