Photo credit: James Guillory – Imagn Images
Former Stanley Cup champion Evgeny Kuznetsov has narrowed down his choices to 2 mystery teams, and one could very well be the Maple Leafs.
According to recent reports, Evgeny Kuznetsov is nearing a deal to return to the NHL and it is believed to be a 2-horse race for his services, according to Sammi Silber from The Hockey News.
Kuznetsov’s agent, Shumi Babayev spoke with SportsDaily recently, and alluded to the idea that the former Stanley Cup champion has been training hard in an attempt to return to the NHL.
Babayev also relayed that there are two teams that they’ve narrowed down as his preferred destinations and that those teams are currently looking to move salary around to make things work.
No news yet… there’s an expectation of signing. We’ve decided on the clubs. Two teams are now resolving issues with their budget.
Kuznetsov’s agent also mentions that there have been no conversations with either team for his client to sign for league minimum, which is currently set at $775,000.
Considering Kuznetsov’s resume and skill level, all of that would entail that if the Leafs are one of the front runners, they’re going to need to move one of the aforementioned veterans in short order to expedite the deal.
Toronto has just under $2 million in projected cap space but moving either Kampf or Jarnkrok doubles their cap space to well over $4 million. That would not only allow them to sign Kuznetsov and use the open roster spot for his arrival, but also give them a bit of a cushion for future deals during the season.
Kuznetsov recorded 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL last year. He struggled a bit near the end of his first run in the NHL with just 8 goals and 24 points in his final 63 games, but had notched 505 points in his prior 583 games before that stretch.
The Russian centre would give the Leafs another offensively skilled player to plug into their top-9 and a reliable centre who could turn back the clock with the level of talent the Leafs have on the wings.
Previously on MapleLeafsDaily