Former Carolina Hurricanes forward Evgeny Kuznetsov Kuznetsov has yet to decide his next step after passing waivers and becoming a free agent. His agent, Shumi Babayev, told Russia's RB Sport outlet Orsha Usova that Kuznetsov hasn't ruled out a new NHL contract. Babayev said 15 NHL clubs are still interested, adding: “[Kuznetsov] “He just wants to play hockey and be trusted. He still has the ability to play for many years to come. Kuznetsov is physically fit…If there's an interest in a team that trusts him and allows him to play to his best qualities, he'd be considered.”
Kuznetsov's illustrious career with the Washington Capitals stalled this season, and he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline. It didn't seem to inspire him, however, as Kuznetsov only managed 13 points in 30 games with Carolina across the regular season and playoffs. Wanting a change of scenery, Kuznetsov became a free agent and is reportedly listening to offers from the NHL, although previous reports have suggested he is set for the KHL. Kuznetsov will return to an established career in Russia's top league, having already played 210 games and earned 124 points with Chelyabinsk Tractor between 2009 and 2014.
His impressive KHL scoring output translated directly to elite performances with the Capitals, where Kuznetsov is a veteran with four 70-point seasons under his belt and a strong cornerstone punch for the team. Nicklas Backstrom and Alex OvechkinThe trio reached their peak in the 2017-18 season, leading Washington to its first Stanley Cup. Braden Holtby's goaltender. It was the best year of his career by any measure for Kuznetsov, who recorded 27 goals and 83 points in 79 games. He's tried to match that mark a few times since winning the Cup, including 72 points in 2019 and 78 points in 2022. But he's struggled to maintain the consistency he had in his prime, and that's proven to be a major drawback as other intangibles have begun to fade.
But Kuznetsov is persistent, and his agent stresses that he believes the forward can contribute more. He's only 32 years old and has valuable experience with 743 career regular season games and 97 playoff games. Babayev said Kuznetsov's team would listen to offers, but that he still feels a move to the KHL is the right next step. He argued: “He's probably trending towards playing in the KHL. He wants to play hockey and have fun, be useful and win. There's a lot of factors there.”
It's rare to see a player with such a good record hit the free agent market this late in July, and Kuznetsov won't have much of a salary cap hit after being out of contract with Carolina, but it looks like he'll need to deliver a truly spectacular performance if an NHL team wants to attract the former one-goal-per-game player.
