{"id":187070,"date":"2025-09-28T07:29:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T07:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/187070\/"},"modified":"2025-09-28T07:29:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T07:29:07","slug":"florida-panthers-reportedly-considering-evgeny-kuznetsov-after-losing-captain-aleksander-barkov-to-knee-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/187070\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Panthers reportedly considering Evgeny Kuznetsov after losing captain Aleksander Barkov to knee injury"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Florida Panthers announced their star centerman,\u00a0Aleksander Barkov,\u00a0will\u00a0miss the next seven to nine months after undergoing surgery<\/a> to repair torn ACL and MCL ligaments in his knee on Friday.<\/p>\n

Barkov\u2019s injury has left the Panthers with a giant hole down the middle, and they\u2019re reportedly considering filling the void with an intriguing free agent option: former Washington Capitals star Evgeny Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov has been searching for an NHL return<\/a> since terminating his KHL contract with SKA Saint Petersburg, and Florida has emerged as a potential suitor.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvgeny wants to play in the NHL. Right now, he\u2019s waiting on Toronto\u2019s decision, though Florida is also an option,\u201d an unnamed source told RG\u2019s Daria Tuboltseva on Saturday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Kuznetsov would have huge shoes to fill in Florida, as Barkov finished the 2024-25 campaign with 71 points (20g, 51a) in 67 games, captaining the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. He is also the winner of the 2024 and 2025 Selke Trophies, as the league\u2019s top defensive forward.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old Kuznetsov last played an NHL game in May 2024, finishing the season with 24 points (8g, 16a) in 63 games split between the Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes. The Panthers also could survive without bringing in another center, as they still have Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell, Evan Rodrigues, and Luke Kunin to fill all four pivot spots.<\/p>\n

#FlaPanthers<\/a> forwards today, by jersey color<\/p>\n

White (generally top-six forwards): Reinhart, Bennett, Verhaeghe, Luostarinen, Lundell, Marchand<\/p>\n

Dark blue (generally bottom-six forwards): Rodrigues, Samoskevich, Greer, Kunin, Boqvist, Gregor<\/p>\n

Baby blue: Devine, Vilmanis, Studnicka<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jordan McPherson (@J_McPherson1126) September 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

There are just 10 days until the NHL regular season begins, so any decision will have to be made soon, as training camps are coming to a close. All 32 NHL teams must declare their Opening Night rosters by 5 pm ET on October 7.<\/p>\n

Kuznetsov\u2019s agent, Shumi Babaev, aggressively shopped his client over the summer. He claimed earlier in September that no fewer than 10 NHL teams were interested<\/a> in signing the 2018 Stanley Cup champion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many teams with whom we have already held talks. More than 10 clubs. With some, it was positive; some refused,\u201d Babaev said.<\/p>\n

Babaev downplayed throughout the summer<\/a> any speculation that Kuznetsov could make a return to the Capitals, the team with which he spent 11 seasons in the NHL. The latest Russian rumors, emerging from Sport-Express<\/a>, were that Kuznetsov would sign a contract with the KHL\u2019s Metallurg Magnitogorsk. However, Babaev denied that news to Tuboltseva.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just a rumor,\u201d Babaev said. \u201cWe haven\u2019t had any talks with Metallurg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kuznetsov spent the 2024-25 season with SKA in the KHL, recording just 37 points (12g, 25a) in 39 games due to suffering two separate concussions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Chelyabinsk native spent a significant amount of his offseason in the DC area, appearing multiple times at Capitals MedStar Iceplex to play beer league hockey,<\/a> but is currently in his native Russia as his wait to return to North America continues.<\/p>\n

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