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Evgeny Kuznetsov

Snapshots: Okposo, Kuznetsov, Wetsch, Mallory

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Back in May, winger Kyle Okposo indicated that he wasn’t sure if last season would be his final one.  Now three weeks into free agency and his first Stanley Cup title under his belt, the veteran told NHL.com’s Dan Rosen that he still hasn’t decided if he’ll return for an 18th NHL season.  The 36-year-old played in 67 games last season between Buffalo and Florida, collecting 12 goals and 10 assists in 13:21 per night, the second-lowest ATOI of his career.  Playing time was harder to come by in the playoffs as he averaged just 8:33 per contest in 17 appearances.  After playing on a $2.5MM salary last season, Okposo would likely need to take a sizable pay cut if he wants to continue his NHL career in 2024-25.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Unrestricted free agent Evgeny Kuznetsov is expected to meet with SKA St. Petersburg next week to discuss a possible contract, his agent Shumi Babaev told Sport-Express’ Konstantin Belov. The 32-year-old asked for and was granted a contract termination from Carolina earlier this month but soon had some interest from other NHL teams.  However, at the time of his termination, it was widely anticipated that he’d return home; SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg stated earlier this week that Kuznetsov would definitely be returning to the KHL.
  • Sharks prospect Carson Wetsch has been added to Canada’s roster for the upcoming World Junior Summer Showcase, Hockey Canada announced (Twitter link). The winger was a third-round pick last month, going 82nd overall after a quality sophomore year with WHL Calgary, one that saw Wetsch record 25 goals and 25 assists in 67 games before a stint with Canada at the World Under-18s.
  • The Senators announced that they’ve hired Josh Mallory as an assistant video coach. This is the first NHL opportunity for the 27-year-old.  Mallory spent the last three seasons as the video coach and manager of hockey operations with WHL Edmonton.

Evgeny Kuznetsov Undecided On KHL Amid NHL Interest

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Former Carolina Hurricanes forward Evgeny Kuznetsov is still deciding his next step after passing through waivers and becoming a free agent. His agent, Shumi Babayev, shared with Olsya Usova of Russia’s RB Sport that Kuznetsov hasn’t ruled out a new NHL contract. Babayev shared that 15 NHL clubs were still showing interest, adding, “[Kuznetsov] just wants to play hockey and be trusted. He still has the ability to play for many years to come. Kuznetsov is in good physical shape… If there was interest in those teams that count on him and let him show his best qualities, he would also consider them.

Kuznetsov’s storied career with the Washington Capitals came to a stall this season, leading to a Trade Deadline move to the Carolina Hurricanes. But that didn’t seem to inspire much, with Kuznetsov managing just 13 points across 30 games with Carolina, combining the regular season and playoffs. A request for another change of scenery has led Kuznetsov to free agency, and while he is reportedly hearing out NHL offers, previous reports have him set on a move to the KHL. Kuznetsov would be returning to an established career at Russia’s top-flight, having already appeared in 210 games and scored 124 points with Chelyabinsk Traktor between 2009 and 2014.

His illustrious KHL scoring led directly to top-end production with the Capitals. Kuznetsov is a veteran of four 70-point seasons, carving out a strong role as the gut punch behind Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin’s one-two. That trio reached a peak in the 2017-18 season, carrying Washington to its first Stanley Cup in tandem with Braden Holtby’s shutdown goaltending. It was a career-year in every respect for Kuznetsov, who finished with 27 goals and 83 points in 79 games. He’s flirted with that production a few more times since the Cup win, including notching 72 points in 2019 and 78 in 2022. But he’s struggled to achieve the consistency he had at his peak – proving to be a major flaw as his other intangibles have started to decline.

But Kuznetsov is proving persistent, with his agent urging that the forward believes he has more to give. He’s still 32 years old and carries the invaluable experience of 743 career regular season games – and 97 playoff games. Babayev shared that Kuznetsov’s team will hear out pitches, but a KHL move still feels like the right next step. He reasoned, “Most likely, he is moving towards playing in the KHL. The man wants to play hockey and have fun, be useful and win. There are many factors here.”

It’s rare to see such a top producer on the open market so late into July. What’s more, Kuznetsov isn’t likely to command much cap after a contract termination in Carolina. But it seems NHL teams will need to have a pitch that really wows if they want to reel in the former point-per-game scorer.

Evgeny Kuznetsov Clears Unconditional Waivers, Contract Terminated

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July 18: Kuznetsov has cleared unconditional waivers and has had his contract terminated, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He’s now a UFA.

July 17: After multiple conflicting reports over the last several days, it appears Evgeny Kuznetsov’s time in the NHL is coming to an end for the foreseeable future. According to a team announcement, the Carolina Hurricanes have placed Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers for contract termination. Assuming that Kuznetsov clears waivers, it is expected he will return to Russia to play in the Kontinental Hockey League.

Although his landing spot in the KHL has not been announced, it is more than likely that Kuznetsov will end up with SKA St. Petersburg on a multi-year agreement according to prior reporting yesterday. SKA St. Petersburg is the current home of former NHL players Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Leipsic, and Valentin Zykov while also being the home of the recent fifth overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, Ivan Demidov.

According to PuckPedia, Kuznetsov will walk away from $6MM by mutually terminating his contract while his separate $3.9MM cap hits with the Hurricanes and Washington Capitals will be lifted from both team’s salary cap structures. Kuznetsov was due a $2MM signing bonus on July 1st as part of his contract which has already been paid out.

Kuznetsov was the 26th overall selection of the Capitals in the 2010 NHL Draft and he made his debut a few years later in the 2013-14 NHL season. He got off to a relatively slow start during his freshman and sophomore campaigns in the NHL but became one of the game’s top centers only a year later. Kuznetsov scored 20 goals and 77 points in 82 games for Washington in the 2013-14 regular season while finishing 19th in Hart Trophy voting.

He became a steady playmaker for the Capitals during the organization’s most successful run in their history. The Russian forward scored 119 goals and 373 points over 420 games in Washington from 2016-2022 while leading the playoffs in assists (20) and points (32) during the team’s run to a Stanley Cup championship in 2018. Unfortunately, due to numerous off-ice issues and a stint in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, it became apparent that Kuznetsov had a lack of desire to continue playing in Washington as his on-ice production suffered.

The Capitals moved on from Kuznetsov this past trade deadline by dealing him to the Hurricanes for a draft pick and retaining 50% of his salary. Kuznetsov notched two goals and seven points in 20 regular season games for Carolina while collecting another four goals and six points in 10 postseason contests.

At 32 years old, Kuznetsov theoretically could return to the NHL in the future but that does not appear as the route he will take. He will more than likely finish his NHL career with 173 goals and 575 points in 743 games with another 33 goals and 73 points in 97 postseason contests, including a Stanley Cup ring.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was the first to report the Hurricanes would place Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers. 

Evgeny Kuznetsov’s Agent Refutes Contract Termination Reports

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Earlier this morning a report out of Russia indicated that forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was expected to terminate the last year of his contract with the Carolina Hurricanes to sign a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League. However, Kuznetsov’s agent, Shumi Babaev reported that although there has been some interest from several KHL teams this summer, it is “too early to talk about the hockey player’s return to Russia” (X Link).

Babaev didn’t entirely rule out a return to Russia by Kuznetsov but it doesn’t look like it will come this summer. In a follow-up statement, Babaev said, “Evgeny still has a year left on his contract with Carolina. SKA and other KHL teams have approached him. After Kuznetsov’s contract with Carolina, they are ready to discuss the possibility of Evgeny’s appearance“(X Link). It appears that both Kuznetsov and his representation are willing to play out the final year of his contract before entertaining the idea of returning to his home country.

It would not be surprising to see Kuznetsov return to Russia to continue his professional career as he has not been the player he was from 2015-2022. In his age-23 to age-29 season, Kuznetsov was one of the premier centers in the game as he scored 139 goals and 450 points in 502 games while leading the playoffs in scoring with 32 points in 24 games in 2018 to help the Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup championship in team history.

Issues off the ice have plagued Kuznetsov since that run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018 as he was suspended by the NHL only a few months after the playoffs as a video of him using cocaine surfaced across the internet. Kuznetsov still put together some productive seasons for the Capitals but never appeared comfortable on the ice in Washington. This culminated in Kuznetsov entering the NHLPA Player Assistance Program on February 5, 2024, and the organization placing him through waivers upon his clearance on March 2nd.

The Capitals finally parted ways with Kuznetsov at last year’s trade deadline by shipping him to the Hurricanes for a third-round selection in 2025 while Washington retained 50% of his salary. Kuznetsov picked up two goals and seven points in 20 games for Carolina down the stretch with an additional four goals and six points in 10 postseason contests. Outside of his modest production on the ice, Kuznetsov appeared more jovial than he had in years past.

To add a bit more context to the potential mutual termination of Kuznetsov’s contract, PuckPedia reported that there is no precedent for a player having his contract mutually terminated after having his salary retained. Realistically, Kuznetsov’s $3.9MM salary in Carolina and the $3.9MM retained by Washington would be removed from both team’s salary cap structure and they would no longer be required to pay him.

With only one year remaining on his eight-year, $62.4MM contract, Kuznetsov could play anywhere as soon as next summer. If he has a decent year with the Hurricanes, he may look toward the NHL for interest to start before he commits to returning to Russia.

Morning Notes: Marchment, IceHogs, Kuznetsov

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Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News is reporting that Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment will be back in the lineup for Game 2 against the Colorado Avalanche and Radek Faksa will be the healthy scratch. Marchment has been out of the Stars’ lineup since Game 2 of their first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights and should give the Stars a boost after the club blew a three-goal lead in Game 1.

Marchment tallied a goal in two playoff games against Vegas and registered 11 hits in just under 28 minutes of playoff action. His return is sure to make life more difficult for the Avalanche as Marchment had another terrific regular season, posting 22 goals and 31 assists in 81 games, along with 108 hits. The 6’4” 210 lbs Marchment is built for playoff hockey and will give them a physical threat in the lineup after they looked to be in control of the series early on.

In other morning notes:

  • The Rockford IceHogs announced today that they and the Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to terms on an affiliate extension with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL. The deal is a three-year agreement that also contains an option to further increase the pact for two years. Indy has been the ECHL affiliate for the organization for over ten years since they joined the ECHL back in April 2014. The team has had moderate success during their run, including appearances in the Kelly Cup Playoffs in three of the last four years.
  • Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer tweeted that Carolina Hurricanes forward Evgeny Kuznetsov will go back into the lineup tonight after being a healthy scratch for Game 2 of their best-of-seven series against the New York Rangers. Kuznetsov’s scratch seemed puzzling at the time as the Hurricanes opted to use Max Comtois in his place. However, Comtois played just 6:19 and was largely ineffective as the Hurricanes struggled to control the play when he was on the ice. The 31-year-old Kuznetsov has been solid in the playoffs for Carolina, posting two goals and two assists in six games while averaging less than 12 minutes of ice time per game.

East Notes: Luukkonen, Senators, Kuznetsov

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Buffalo News reporter Lance Lysowski writes that the Buffalo Sabres and the agent for goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have opened up talks on a contract extension for the young netminder. The 25-year-old hadn’t been able to find consistency in the NHL prior to last season but was able to assert himself and provide the Sabres with excellent goaltending as he went 27-22-4, with a .910 save percentage and a 2.57 GAA.

Luukkonen is due for a big pay increase from the $925K he made last season, and it will be interesting to see whether he and the Sabres opt for a bridge deal or a long-term commitment. If the two sides opt for arbitration or a bridge deal, Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Ilya Samsonov would be a good comparison after he signed a one-year contract for $3.55 million last summer.  The alternative to a short-term pact would be a longer-term deal and according to Jeff Marek of Sportsnet, that type of contract could run the Sabres between $4-5 million per season.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • With the NHL draft lottery complete, the Ottawa Senators will have 24 hours to decide whether to forfeit this year’s first-round pick or push the decision to 2025 or 2026 because of the invalid Evgenii Dadonov trade. Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun tweets that he doesn’t think the Senators will forfeit this year’s pick as Ottawa’s new management group headed by Steve Staios has ramped up their scouting efforts in preparation for this draft. The Senators hold the seventh overall pick after another disappointing season and will likely use the top-10 pick to add to their young core.
  • Luke DeCock of The News & Observer tweeted that the Carolina Hurricanes made Evgeny Kuznetsov a healthy scratch for game 2 of their second-round series against the New York Rangers. Max Comtois will make his NHL playoff debut, skating in Kuznetsov’s place. Carolina dropped the first game of the series on Sunday and have been receiving offensive contributions from Kuznetsov, despite him playing predominantly in a fourth-line role with limited power play time. The 31-year-old struggled in the regular season but has been good offensively in the playoffs, posting two goals and two assists in six games.

Hurricanes Acquire Evgeny Kuznetsov

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The Hurricanes have acquired center Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Capitals, per a team announcement. A 2025 third-round pick is heading back to Washington, which is retaining 50% of Kuznetsov’s $7.8MM cap hit.

Kuznetsov and the Capitals clearly wanted a fresh start after the player exited the first stage of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and was subsequently placed on waivers last weekend. The 31-year-old has one season remaining on the eight-year, $62.4MM deal he signed with the Caps in the summer of 2017 and has a 10-team no-trade list. The Hurricanes will owe him half of his pro-rated $6MM salary this season, a $3MM salary next year, and a $1MM signing bonus this summer thanks to Washington’s retention, and he’ll cost $3.9MM against their salary cap this year and next.

A point-per-game threat at his peak during the Capitals’ run to the championship in 2018, it’s been a rather sharp decline in production this season. He’s tallied only six goals and 17 points in 43 games this season, tallying the worst points-per-game rate of his 11-year career. He’s never been a strong defensive player, either, and that hasn’t changed with a 43.6 CF% at even strength and a 39.3 xGF%.

Nonetheless, the Hurricanes could bank on surrounding him with much better wing talent and look to utilize him in a top-six role. The team has a gaping vacancy at center on their second line behind Sebastian Aho. Both Jack Drury and Jesperi Kotkaniemi have tried and failed to hold down the spot with acceptable production from a second-line pivot on a contending team, and while Kuznetsov’s numbers haven’t been any better, he at least has the history of holding down top-six minutes on a contending team. A hypothetical trio with Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov (or their other big deadline splash, Jake Guentzel) is far from a shutdown line, but playing with two highly skilled wingers should help restore Kuznetsov’s production closer to his former levels.

Carolina indeed views Kuznetsov as a potential top-six piece and is expected to recall him from the minors after the trade call is completed, per Emily Kaplan of ESPN.

The Capitals, meanwhile, free up half of Kuznetsov’s remaining money to spend elsewhere over the next 15 months. His departure opens up more guaranteed ice time for youngsters Hendrix Lapierre and Connor McMichael down the middle down the stretch and into next season, too. Notably, the Capitals are now utilizing all three of their salary retention slots this season and won’t be able to execute another retained salary transaction before today’s deadline.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet first reported the Hurricanes were trading for Kuznetsov.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic first reported the return and salary retention details.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov Clears Waivers, Loaned To AHL

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3/3: Kuznetsov has officially cleared waivers and been loaned to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, who shares that Kuznetsov is one of the league’s highest-salaried players of all time.

3/2: Earlier today, Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov was cleared to resume practicing with the team and has entered the follow-up phase of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, per a league announcement.  However, he won’t be getting that opportunity as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Washington has placed the veteran on waivers.

Notably, Kuznetsov has not been cleared to return to game action through the program yet which makes the timing of this placement a little surprising.  The 31-year-old entered the Player Assistance Program last month and hadn’t been counting against Washington’s books since then; that will be changing and his $7.8MM AAV will soon be back on their books.

In his prime, Kuznetsov was a legitimate top-line center and even just two years ago, he was hanging around the point-per-game mark.  However, his production dipped from 78 points to 55 points last season and this year, the drop-off has been even sharper.  Despite seeing his average ice time go up from a year ago, Kuznetsov has been limited to just six goals and 11 assists in 43 games with Washington while logging a little under 19 minutes a night.  Those numbers won’t be going up anytime soon as a result of this placement.

Kuznetsov has one year left on his contract after this one at that $7.8MM price tag so it’s hard to envision a scenario where he gets claimed.  Assuming he clears waivers on Sunday at 1 PM CT, he can be assigned to AHL Hershey, a move that would free up a pro-rated $1.15MM in salary cap space.

Speaking with reporters following the placement including Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press (Twitter link), GM Brian MacLellan indicated that this move is about getting Kuznetsov a fresh start.  With a waiver claim being unlikely, that fresh start will either have to come through a trade or buyout.

Washington could look to move Kuznetsov where they could retain up to 50% of his cap hit and salary, a move that might get them some takers as a low-risk flyer.  If that doesn’t happen, buying Kuznetsov out would cost $3.8MM against the cap next season and $2MM in 2025-26.  With the buyout charge and cost at 50% retention being pretty much the same for 2024-25, it wouldn’t be surprising to see MacLellan push to get something done on the trade front with the buyout being a last resort.  Either way, it looks like Kuznetsov’s time with the Capitals is about to be over.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Evgeny Kuznetsov Enters NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program

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Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Monday, the league announced.

Kuznetsov was absent from practice this morning for what the team labeled “personal reasons.” 31-year-old AHL veteran Michael Sgarbossa was recalled from AHL Hershey to replace Kuznetsov on the active roster.

The Russian center will now be out indefinitely while he receives care from the program, and he will not be cleared to return until PAP administrators clear him for on-ice competition. The 31-year-old is in his 11th season with the Capitals after the franchise selected him 26th overall in the 2010 draft.

This is Kuznetsov’s second time entering the program, which was previously known as the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program. He did so voluntarily in 2019 after a positive drug test for cocaine while playing for Russia at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.

Kuznetsov’s 0.40 points per game this season are the lowest of his career, including his limited rookie showing in the 2013-14 campaign. Through 43 games, he has six goals, 11 assists, 17 points, and a 43.2% Corsi share at even strength while averaging 18:47 per game.

He’s only two years removed from a 24-goal, 78-point season, both of which were the second-best numbers of his career. He has one season after this remaining on an eight-year, $62.4MM deal signed in July 2017 that carries a $7.8MM cap hit. The contract carries a modified no-trade clause which awards Kuznetsov a 10-team no-trade list.

With Kuznetsov out for the foreseeable future, Sgarbossa is expected to make his season debut for the Capitals on Tuesday against the Canadiens in a third-line role between Anthony Mantha and Max Pacioretty. Sgarbossa likely won’t be a longer-term fixture in Washington’s top-nine, however, and Kuznetsov’s absence could influence the Capitals to give 21-year-old Hendrix Lapierre another shot after playing 25 games earlier this season. Lapierre, the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 draft, is currently on assignment to Hershey, where he has 11 points in 16 games this season.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils, Kuznetsov, Kakko

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The Devils could be one of the more aggressive teams heading into the trade deadline with some unexpected cap space on their hands, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and TSN writes. While unconfirmed, recent reports indicate star defenseman Dougie Hamilton won’t be ready to return from his pectoral injury until the playoffs – likely in April or May. That opens up the possibility for his $9MM cap hit to head to long-term injured reserve, opening up significant room for the Devils to make deadline acquisitions.

With that extra money, look for the Devils to address needs on defense and in goal, LeBrun says. The Devils are receiving strong performances from rookie defenders Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec without Hamilton in the fold. Nemec, who was only recalled a few weeks ago in the wake of Hamilton’s injury, has been especially impressive. The 2022 second-overall pick is logging major minutes, averaging 20:56 through ten games, and has posted a goal and three assists. While his -5 rating suggests he’s struggled defensively at first glance, that figure is artificially brought down by the team’s poor goaltending. His 54.6% Corsi share at even strength is fourth among Devils defensemen this season, and his expected +3.7 rating, per Hockey Reference, is fourth on the team.

For a team that has championship aspirations, though, it would be unwise to rely on a pair of rookies to carry the team the rest of the way until Hamilton returns. They’ll undoubtedly still look to add to their defense, but Nemec’s emergence and Hamilton’s potential LTIR placement open the door for the Devils to address their goaltending issues in a big way. Their .887 team SV% ranks near the bottom of the league, and starter Vítek Vaněček’s -8.3 goals saved above expected is fifth-worst among netminders this year, per MoneyPuck. Obvious targets include Ducks starter John Gibson and Canadiens veteran Jake Allen, both of whom have been linked to New Jersey in recent months.

Elsewhere from the Metropolitan Division today:

  • LeBrun also reported Friday that “it’s hard to see a market” for Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov ahead of the trade deadline, and if a trade is coming, it’s unlikely to happen until the 2024 draft. With one more season left after this at a $7.8MM cap hit, it’s a tough financial proposition for any contending team to absorb his contract, especially for a player who has just 11 points in 26 games this season. His trade request last summer was well-publicized, but the Capitals never found a trade partner to find him a fresh start. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, though, as LeBrun revealed Washington was in advanced talks with the Nashville Predators at one point during the summer around a swap of bloated contracts, likely dealing Kuznetsov for one of Matt Duchene or Ryan Johansen, but the deal fell through. The Predators eventually moved on from both players, buying out the remainder of Duchene’s contract and trading Johansen to the Avalanche at 50 percent salary retention.
  • Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko is working his way back from a lower-body injury and has begun to skate on his own within the last three or four days, head coach Peter Laviolette said today (per Larry Brooks of the New York Post). Kakko was placed on long-term injured reserve nearly a month ago and has not played since November 27 against the Sabres, missing the team’s last ten games. It’s been a disappointing season for the 2019 second-overall pick, who has taken a gigantic step back offensively with just two goals and an assist through 20 games. Last season, Kakko potted a career-high 18 goals and 40 points in all 82 games.

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