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Evgeny Kuznetsov

Snapshots: Kuznetsov, Kings, Josefson

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Veteran center Evgeny Kuznetsov remains unsigned for the upcoming season.  After signing a four-year deal in the KHL last summer with SKA St. Petersburg, the agreement was terminated a few months ago with the veteran looking to return to the NHL.  Speaking with SovSport’s Vladimir Okishev, Kuznetsov’s agent Shumi Babayev said that there is a 90% chance that his client will sign with an NHL team.  The 33-year-old was once a true top-line middleman in the NHL but his last season in the league in 2023-24 saw him struggle with more of a limited role as he notched just 24 points in 63 games between Washington and Carolina.  Still, in a free agent market that is largely bereft of centers at this point, he could be worth a low-cost flyer in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider provides an inside look at how the Kings operated during the draft. At one point, they looked into a trade-up scenario from their original slot of 24 before moving down which was their original plan leading into the night.  However, with just two of their preferred selections on the board when they dealt down to 31, they looked at trading back up after moving down to ensure they’d get Henry Brzustewicz.  However, they ultimately were able to get him as planned where they were.  Dooley’s piece also discusses their activity on the second day, including the trade of defenseman Jordan Spence to Ottawa.
  • After having to retire following the 2020-21 season due to concussion trouble, former first-round pick Jacob Josefson is attempting a comeback at the age of 34, recently speaking with Expressen in Sweden (video link) about his efforts. Josefson spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL, seven of which came with New Jersey who picked him 20th overall back in 2009.  He opted to return home to play in the SHL back in 2018 and spent three seasons with Djurgarden before having to hang up his skates.  His attempt to make a comeback kicked off with that same team in a preseason game on Friday.

Rocco Grimaldi, Joseph Blandisi Sign In KHL

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Former New Jersey Devils forward Joseph Blandisi has signed a two-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of Russia’s KHL. Blandisi will be joined in the move by fellow AHL veteran Rocco Grimaldi, whose contract details haven’t yet been revealed, per Pavel Panyshev of Russia’s Championat. This will mark the first overseas move of both player’s careers, after years of rooted roles in the minor leagues.

Grimaldi boast the slightly richer career of the two, accumulating 203 NHL games and 499 AHL games over his nine-year career. He was originally drafted with the 33rd-overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. Grimaldi followed his draft selection with three seasons at the University of North Dakota. He found great success in college, despite a freshman year derailed by injury, and entered the pros with wind behind his sails in the 2014-15 season.

Grimaldi scored a hot 42 points in 64 games of his AHL rookie season. That was enough to earn the first seven games of his NHL career, though he only managed one goal in those appearances. He spent the next four years firmly rooted in the rut of hot AHL scoring and meager NHL totals, until the 2018-19 Nashville Predators opted to reward Grimaldi with his first full year in the NHL. He scored just 13 points in 53 games with the club, but shined through enough to cement a bottom-six role for the next three seasons. But after not finding another gear at the top flight, Grimaldi was relegated back to the minors in 2022. His role was defined as a top AHL scorer with limited upward mobility – a sentiment that’s kept Grimaldi from receiving any NHL games in three years, despite scoring 256 points in 252 games since 2022.

Blandisi has fallen into a similar rut over recent years. After bearing through split AHL and NHL minutes between 2015 and 2020, the former sixth-round selection landed a full-time role in the minors in the 2020-21 season. He’s since found upside as both a scorer and bruiser, a role best highlighted by his 59 points and 110 penalty minutes in 70 games with the Toronto Marlies in the 2023-24 season. He followed that performance with 35 points and 82 penalty minutes in 58 games last season, bringing his career-long totals up to 321 points and 664 penalty minutes in 448 games and 10 seasons in the AHL. He also has 31 points in 101 NHL games.

Both players will look to escape middling roles in North America with a move to Russia’s top squad. They’ll join a rich squad in SKA, headlined by returning scorers Sergei Plotnikov and Marat Khairullin. Grimaldi and Blandisi should have no trouble finding hardy middle-six minutes, following SKA’s loss of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Mikhail Grigorenko this off-season. SKA finished second in their division, and got bumped from the conference quarterfinals, last season.

Kuznetsov Willing To Take Bonus-Laden Contract For NHL Return

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On this week’s rendition of Hello Hockey with Shawn Belle and Tom Gazzola, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period spoke briefly about Evgeny Kuznetsov’s desire to return to the NHL. To ensure a return to the sport’s top league, Pagnotta indicated that Kuznetsov would be willing to sign a low AAV deal with performance bonuses.

It’s been a few years since Kuznetsov has been a highly relevant NHL center. He was a point-per-game scorer during the 2021-22 season with the Washington Capitals, recording 24 goals and 78 points in 79 games with a +7 rating, while averaging 20:17 of ice time per night.

Unfortunately, things began slipping the following season, as Kuznetsov finished the 2022-23 campaign with 12 goals and 55 points in 81 games with a -26 rating, seeing his average ice time drop to 18:04. It wasn’t necessarily bad production from a second-line center — but it was a far cry from what Kuznetsov had been able to do even a year earlier.

Things completely unraveled during the 2023-24 campaign. He had a dreadful start to the year with Washington, mustering six goals and 17 points in 43 games with a -11 rating. After spending a month in the NHL Player Assistance Program, the Capitals waived Kuznetsov in early March, sending him to their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, after clearing.

His time with the Capitals in late January of 2024 ended up being the last moments of his time with the team. Washington traded Kuznetsov to the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline for a mid-round draft pick. He finished the year with two goals and seven points in 20 games for the Hurricanes, adding another four goals and six points in 10 postseason contests.

Having little desire to retain him for the 2024-25 campaign, Carolina placed Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers for a mutual termination of Kuznetsov’s contract, allowing the Chelyabinsk, Russia native to return home to continue his professional career. A few weeks later, Kuznetsov signed a four-year deal with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg.

There’s a decent chance some of his offensive value has been rebuilt after a strong year with St. Petersburg. Kuznetsov scored 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games with a +13 rating. Pursuing another chance in the NHL, Kuznetsov and SKA mutually parted ways in April, leaving us where we are now.

Although it seemed like a natural fit, it’s already been reported that the Montreal Canadiens wouldn’t pursue Kuznetsov this offseason, and they seemingly filled their need for center depth yesterday by signing Joe Veleno. Additionally, other reports have indicated that a reunion with the Capitals isn’t on the table.

After briefly looking through projected rosters for the 2025-26 season, and assuming Kuznetsov is open to a bottom-six role, the Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins could all use additional depth, especially at the center position.

Russia Notes: Babcock, Gallant, Tortorella, Kuznetsov, Obvintsev

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The KHL’s Kunlun Red Star is making an aggressive push to land a high-profile name as its next head coach. They’ve made attempts to land longtime NHL coaches Mike Babcock, Gerard Gallant, and John Tortorella this summer, reports Dmitry Erykalov of Sport24.ru.

While legally based in Beijing, Kunlun hasn’t played in China since the pandemic. They’ve operated out of a Moscow suburb called Mystichi in recent years but will now play out of St. Petersburg’s SKA Arena, the largest area in the world built for hockey at a capacity of 22,500. Just a few years old, SKA St. Petersburg played part of last season there but will move back to its old venue for 2025-26 due to underwhelming attendance and “low transport accessibility.”

Erykalov writes that Kunlun has also appointed former Avangard Omsk chairman Alexander Krylov to a hockey operations role ahead of the 2025-26 campaign; he previously approached Babcock about Omsk’s vacancy in 2022. Of the three, Erykalov relays that Gallant would be the most realistic hire for the fledgling club as he’s told KHL clubs he “would not mind working” in Russia. That tracks after he wasn’t firmly connected to any NHL coaching vacancies this offseason.

Kunlun has long been irrelevant in the grand scheme of KHL play, especially with the goal of directly supporting professional hockey in China seemingly abandoned post-Olympics and pandemic. The club made the KHL playoffs in its first season back in 2016-17 but hasn’t since. Their 19-34-9-6 record last season was its best in five years, though.

Other notes from Russia:

  • Earlier today, we relayed word that the Canadiens wouldn’t be offering center Evgeny Kuznetsov a contract as he attempts an NHL return despite speculation otherwise. His agent also said to rule out a return to the Capitals, where he spent the vast majority of the first stint of his time in North America. “I don’t see how he could go back,” Shumi Babaev said, after Kuznetsov’s tenure in Washington ended on the waiver wire before being dealt to the Hurricanes for a mid-round pick at the 2023 trade deadline. Kuznetsov, whose 568 points in 723 games rank seventh in Caps franchise history, had 37 points in 39 KHL games last season for SKA in his first season at home in over a decade.
  • Maple Leafs goaltending prospect Timofei Obvintsev has signed a one-year deal with Gornyak-UGMK of the VHL, Russia’s second-tier pro league, the league announced. A 2024 fifth-round pick, Obvintsev saw just 11 games of action in Russia’s top junior league last season with CSKA Moscow’s affiliate club, posting a 2.78 GAA, .908 SV%, one shutout, and a 6-4-0 record. The 20-year-old could be in line for a move to North America next season if he impresses in the pro ranks.

Morning Notes: Comtois, Kuznetsov, AHL

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Back in the spring, Max Comtois was believed to be receiving some interest to return to North America.  However, it appears the offers weren’t to his liking, relays Sport-Express’ Mikhail Zislis, who notes that the winger is expected to sign a two-year deal to remain with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL.  Comtois was quite productive with them last season, picking up 21 goals and 29 assists in 62 regular season games while adding 13 points in 15 playoff contests.  He has 87 points in 211 career NHL contests but it appears he won’t have a chance to add to those totals for another couple of years at least.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • While the Canadiens are known to be searching for center help, they are not among the teams pursuing Evgeny Kuznetsov. His agent, Shumi Babaev, told Louis-Andre Lariviere of La Page Sportive that Montreal has informed him that they won’t be offering Kuznetsov a contract.  The 33-year-old had 37 points in 39 games with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last season where he was teammates with Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov who is expected to play his first full NHL season in 2025-26.  Kuznetsov has 575 points in 743 games at the NHL level over an 11-year career but managed just 23 points in 64 games in 2023-24 between Carolina and Washington.
  • On Thursday, the AHL released its end-of-season Excellence Awards. Avalanche defenseman Jacob MacDonald was the winner of the President’s Award for player excellence after setting a league record for most goals by a blueliner with 31, helping earn him the Eddie Shore Award as the league’s outstanding defenseman.  Meanwhile, the newly established Bruce Landon Award for the most outstanding hockey operations executive went to Canadiens assistant GM John Sedgwick, who also serves as the GM of AHL Laval.

Canadiens Interested In Adding To Forward Group

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While the Montreal Canadiens have had a busy start to the offseason and are currently over the cap, they’re still looking to add to their offensive group. According to RG’s Marco D’Amico, the Habs are exploring both free agency and trade options to add a forward.

Among those options, D’Amico reports that the Canadiens remain interested in trading for St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou — a player Montreal has previously been linked to. Playing all 82 games last season, he posted 36 goals and 70 points. It represented his third consecutive 30-goal campaign, and the 26-year-old added three goals in seven playoff games. Kyrou has five years remaining on his eight-year, $ 65MM contract, which carries a cap hit of $ 8.125 million annually. While Kyrou remains a popular name in trade discussions, any deal would have to overcome the hurdle of his no-trade clause.

Another player the Habs are keeping tabs on, per D’Amico, is NHL veteran Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is eyeing an NHL comeback. Kuznetsov, 33, appeared in 39 KHL games for SKA St. Petersburg last season and scored 37 points. He signed a four-year contract with the club last summer, but his contract was terminated in early April, presumably so he could return to North America.

As a staple for the Washington Capitals, Kuznetsov put up 568 points for the team in 723 games. He added 73 points in 97 playoff games for Washington and was nearly a point-per-game producer in the NHL as recently as the 2021-22 season (78 points in 79 games). However, his production dropped off after that, and Kuznetsov later revealed that his struggles with rheumatoid arthritis — which he says he now manages more effectively — contributed to his decline. He last played in the NHL during the 2023-24 season.

Of note, Kuznetsov served as a teammate and mentor to Ivan Demidov in Russia. Demidov signed a three-year, entry-level deal with Montreal in April, and a reunion with Kuznetsov could provide him with a familiar support system as he begins his NHL career.

No matter who the Canadiens decide to pursue, the team is currently over the salary cap by more than $5MM (according to PuckPedia). Therefore, General Manager Kent Hughes needs to trade away some contracts not only to make new additions but also to ensure the team is compliant with the salary cap.

Evgeny Kuznetsov Eyeing NHL Comeback

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After signing a four-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last summer, it looked like Evgeny Kuznetsov’s days of playing in North America were over.  However, that may not be the case anymore.  His agent, Shumi Babayev, announced (Telegram link) that his client will play in North America next season and that he has been in contact with several teams already.

The 33-year-old played in 39 KHL contests this past season, tallying 37 points.  However, despite the solid performance, the remaining three years of the contract were terminated back in April.  At the time, it seemed like he might simply land with another team in Russia but now, it appears that won’t be the case.

Kuznetsov last played in the NHL in the 2023-24 season.  He started the year with Washington but re-entered the Player Assistance Program in February 2024.  Upon being cleared to return, the Capitals placed him on waivers and after he cleared, he was dealt with 50% retention to Carolina for a third-round pick.  Kuznetsov went on to record seven points in 20 games with the Hurricanes before adding six more in 10 playoff outings.  However, he requested and was granted a termination of the final year of his contract last summer to allow him to go play in Russia which he has now evidently had a change of heart about.

Kuznetsov has 743 career NHL appearances, notching 173 goals and 402 assists over that span.  That immediately makes him one of the higher-scoring UFA centers available on the open market this summer.

But the question is which version of Kuznetsov that teams would be getting.  He’s only a few years removed from a 78-point campaign in Washington but his 2023-24 performance saw him notch just 24 points in 63 contests despite averaging over 17 minutes a night of ice time.  Was that just a down year or a sign that he can’t keep up with NHL-level competition as much as he used to?

That’s a question that teams will undoubtedly be weighing as July 1st approaches.  On the one hand, there could be some upside if he’s able to come in and play in the middle six somewhere.  On the other hand, if Kuznetsov was a step slow two seasons ago, that could be further exacerbated now.  Assuming a deal is reached, it seems reasonable to think that it might just be a one-year agreement, one that allows both sides a chance to walk away if things don’t go well.  But just a few days out from free agency, it appears a new middleman is in play.

Evgeny Kuznetsov’s KHL Contract Terminated

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Ex-NHL staple Evgeny Kuznetsov has mutually terminated his contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL today, per a team announcement. The player and team agreed to part ways despite Kuznetsov signing a four-year deal with the club last summer. He put up 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games and led the team in points-per-game.

His return to Russia came after 11 years in the NHL. As a staple for the Washington Capitals, Kuznetsov put up 568 points for the team in 723 games. He added 73 points in 97 playoff games for Washington, including an incredible 32 points on their way to securing the Stanley Cup in 2018. As recent as the 2021-22 season, “Kuzy” put up nearly a point-per-game (78 points in 79 games). It was a rapid decline from that point on, and last season Washington dumped the last year and a half of his $7.8MM cap-hit contract on the Hurricanes at 50% retention in a deadline deal.

Before being traded to Carolina, Kuznetsov spent time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and was placed on waivers, but no team claimed the full remainder of his contract. After appearing in just 20 games for the Canes, he had his contract terminated and became an unrestricted free agent, setting the stage for his return to his home country.

The news of Kuznetsov’s departure from his most recent contract comes on the same day that ex-teammate Ivan Demidov signed his three-year, entry-level deal with the Montreal Canadiens. Kuznetsov served as a De facto mentor for the young Demidov this season, and it will be interesting to see if he follows his fellow countryman back to North America for the return to the NHL.

At just 32, Kuznetsov may still have more left in the tank, especially after noting to Russian news outlet Sport-Express that he has learned how to better manage his rheumatoid arthritis that impacted his performance last season.

Morning Notes: Kadri, Kuznetsov, Hughes

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Calgary Flames Forward Nazem Kadri left yesterday’s practice with an apparent knee injury (as per Salim Nadim Valji of TSN). Kadri suffered the injury after a collision with teammate Blake Coleman and went to the locker room right away. No word yet on the severity of the injury to the 33-year-old but Kadri and Coleman did collide knee on knee. Flames head coach Ryan Huska commented after practice that the team got off lucky, so the news sounds encouraging.

Kadri is expected to be one of the Flames’ on-ice leaders this year as the team has entered a rebuild. He was one of Calgary’s most consistent contributors last season posting 29 goals and 46 assists in 82 games. The Flames reportedly listened to offers on Kadri this past summer but opted to keep the veteran with the Flames.

In other morning notes:

  • Former Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was reportedly injured and will miss the next two months (KHL twitter link). Kuznetsov has dressed in nine KHL games this season for SKA St. Petersburg and posted a goal and four assists. Specific details about his injury are murky but the ailment is being called a serious one. Kuznetsov has been playing on the third line this year after mutually terminating the final year of his NHL contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.
  • Jack Hughes was a scratch last night for the New Jersey Devils after he was originally slated to play in their preseason game (as per James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now). Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe clarified the reason for the scratch post-game saying that Hughes experienced a Charley horse in the previous game, and the team opted to hold him out of the game before their trip to Prague. Hughes is expected to play when the team arrives overseas and did work yesterday with the second training camp group before getting the evening off to rest.

Evening Notes: Swayman, Kuznetsov, Penguins

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Former Boston Bruins goaltender and current NESN analyst Andrew Raycroft joined The Skate Pod to discuss the contract situation of Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman. Raycroft told the panel that Bruins fans shouldn’t be concerned at this juncture, and he wouldn’t be concerned about the contract negotiations until September.

Boston has been busy this summer dealing goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators and signing unrestricted free agents Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm to long-term deals. Despite the lucrative deals they’ve dished out, the Bruins remain in a good position to re-sign Swayman as they sit $8.6MM under the salary cap limit (as per PuckPedia) and could easily fit an $8MM cap hit in for their newly appointed starting goaltender.

In other evening notes:

  • Former Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes center Evgeny Kuznetsov told MatchTV that he struggled so badly during this past season that he didn’t want his family to watch him play. The 32-year-old was once a perennial point-per-game player but fell to just eight goals and 16 assists in 63 games this past season and wasn’t nearly as effective as he once was. Kuznetsov and the Hurricanes terminated the final year of his NHL contract in mid-July so that he could return to Russia where he signed a four-year deal with SKA of the KHL.
  • Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff covered the Pittsburgh Penguins in his NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown and believes that Brayden Yager is far and away the Penguins’ best prospect and likely the only prospect they have who could play in their top six eventually. The Penguins have had a difficult time developing scoring forwards over the past decade and it has been a drain on the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin who have had to carry the offensive load for much of the past ten years. Ellis notes that Yager is still a few years away from developing into a top-six forward which makes it entirely possible that the 19-year-old center will never play with the veteran stars.

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