Center Evgeny Kuznetsov had a good NHL career, though it was inconsistent. His primary success included a memorable stint with the Washington Capitals and a most recent one with the Carolina Hurricanes. <\/p>\n
However, Kuznetsov spent this past season with the KHL\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Kuznetsov\u2019s Capitals Tenure<\/p>\n
One NHL team Evgeny Kuznetsov will forever be associated with is the Washington Capitals. The Russian center was selected 26th overall by the team in the 2010 NHL Draft. Kuznetsov 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 bird celebration.<\/p>\n
However, Kuznetsov truly shined 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-winning goal in OT. That tally sent Washington to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years. Kuznetsov eventually got a ring as the Capitals beat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Finals.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, towards the end of his Capitals tenure, Kuznetsov\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Kuznetsov\u2019s Post-Capitals Tenure<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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 on his agreement were terminated back in April. Kuznetsov then decided to return to North America instead of signing with another Russian team.<\/p>\n
Kuzy\u2019s Possible NHL Return<\/p>\n
Now a free agent, Kuznetsov is eyeing a possible return to the NHL. His agent, Shumi Babaev,\u00a0told Sports Daily\u2019s Mikhail Nyukhin<\/a>\u00a0that two teams are in the running to sign him. But he didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Some have speculated whether Kuznetsov might return to the Capitals. However, there are questions regarding his commitment and consistency, which haven\u2019t been visible in the past few seasons. Also, Washington is looking to add younger players at depth positions.<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n