Former Capitals Evgeny Kuznetsov Provided Offensive Stability While in Washington – Hockey Writers – Washington Capitals

With Evgeny Kuznetsov potentially leaving the NHL for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), he leaves behind a legacy of being one of the best forwards of the Alex Ovechkin era. He wasn't around in the early seasons of Ovechkin's tenure like Nicklas Backstrom, but Kuznetsov showed up in 2013-14, and grew into a star Capitals fans were proud to see on the ice. He played an important role especially during the Washington Stanley Cup championship in 2018. It was heartbreaking for fans when he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes this past season, but he finished his time in Washington as one of the best to ever lace up skates. organization.

Kuznetsov It took a while to come to DC

Kuznetsov was drafted by Washington in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Before coming to the NHL with the Capitals, he played some seasons in the KHL with Chelyabinsk Traktor. He played parts of five campaigns with Chelyabinsk, before officially leaving the league and arriving in D.C. While in the KHL, Kuznetsov posted the following offensive stats:

• 2009-10: two goals and seven assists for nine points in 35 games
• 2010-11: 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points in 44 games
• 2011-12: 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 49 games
• 2012-13: 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 51 games
• 2013-14: eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 31 games

Midway through the 2013-14 campaign, then-general manager (GM) George McPhee signed Kuznetsov to an entry-level contract, and he began his NHL career during the back half of that season. In 17 games for Washington, he posted nine points (three goals and six assists).

As the NHL seasons progressed and Kuznetsov gained more experience, his point production increased. In the 2014-15 season, he scored 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points in 80 games. He then scored a career-high 77 points in 82 games in 2015-16 (20 goals and 57 assists) to finish first on the all-time scoring list, with Ovechkin's closest competitor at 71. It was only his second full NHL campaign, and he already led the team in points, which is impressive considering the talented veterans like Ovechkin, Backstrom, Justin Williams, and TJ Oshie on the team. It may have taken Kuznetsov a little while to get to the NHL from the KHL, but his production proved he was worth the wait.

Helping Win The Stanley Cup

Kuznetsov's point total dipped a bit in 2016-17 (he had 59 points), but he did more than that come 2017-18. In the regular season, he scored 83 points (27 goals and 56 assists), which ended up being his career high in points. He was dominant in the 2018 playoffs, leading the team at the time with 32 points in 24 games (12 goals and 20 assists). One of the most impressive goals of his career came in the second round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, when he scored the series winner in overtime of Game 6 to help the franchise advance to the Eastern Conference Final. The Capitals later advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights and defeated them to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship. Washington has many contributors to their successful campaign, and Kuznetsov was at the top along with teammates like Ovechkin and goaltender Braden Holtby.

Kuznetsov Trade for Raleigh and KHL Possibility

In March of this year, Capitals manager Brian MacLellan decided it was time to move on from Kuznetsov and deal Carolina for a 2025 third-round pick. He played in 723 regular season contests for Washington and scored 568 points during that time. In addition, he collected 67 points (29 goals and 38 assists) in 87 games of the season.

Kuznetsov, in his short stint as a Hurricane to wrap up the 2023-24 NHL season, scored two goals and five assists for seven points in 20 games. He also made 10 playoff appearances and tallied four goals and two assists for six points.

Related: Report: Kuznetsov's contract to be terminated, Entering KHL

It is reported that with this situation, Kuznetsov may return to the KHL where he started his professional career and sign a contract with SKA St. Petersburg for four years. If he goes there, he will be joining a team that is famous for its players. Some prominent players who have played for St. Petersburg by Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk, Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Evgenii Dadonov, and Andrei Kuzmenko, among others. If this is indeed the end of his time in the NHL, he was statistically one of the best offensive players to ever play for the organization.

Maybe, he will retire the jersey number one day or maybe the team will honor him in another way. Capitals fans deserve a way to thank Kuznetsov for all he has done for the team. Without him, there would be no Cup championship in Washington history.