Former Capitals Star Running Out Of Runway

There was a time when Evgeny Kuznetsov was a star for the Washington Capitals, a key member of the club's 2017-18 Stanley Cup championship squad. He was a four-time 20-goal scorer over 11 NHL seasons, all but the last 20 games of his final NHL campaign spent with the Capitals. 

He set career highs in goals (27) and points (83) during Washington's Stanley Cup-winning campaign. Kuznetsov was a monster that postseason, accounting for 12 goals and 32 points in 24 playoff games.

As recently as 2021-22, Kuznetsov was good for 24 goals and 78 points. But his career trajectory has steadily plummeted beyond that point. 

He dropped to 12 goals in 2022-23 and then eight in 2023-24, his final NHL season, which Kuznetsov finished as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Unwanted in the NHL, the Russian center returned to the KHL, joining powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg. However, he could only score 12 goals during the 2024-25 season. As NHL legend Igor Larionov took over as coach in the offseason, he opted to cast Kuznetsov adrift.

Kuznetsov Placed on Waivers

His next stop was Metallurg Magnitogorsk. But after scoring once in 15 games, the club placed Kuznetsov on waivers.

"Terminating our partnership with Evgeny Kuznetsov is a difficult but necessary step for both parties," Metallurg sporting director Evgeny Biyukov said in a release from the team. "Evgeny is undoubtedly a great player, but he currently doesn't fully fit into our system."

It didn't take long for the 33-year-old forward to land another opportunity. Kuznetsov joined KHL club Salavat Yulaev on Monday after he was claimed on waivers.

"It wasn't the only option in the KHL, but it was the best one for Evgeny," Kuznetsov's agent Shumi Babayev told Russian website Sport-Express. 

In the fall, Kuznetsov claimed he had turned down NHL offers. However, his agent indicated that there was no consideration to seek out an NHL opportunity at this juncture of the season.

"No, that wasn't a thought," Babayev said. "Evgeny wanted to finish out the season in the KHL and try his hand here."

Kuznetsov requested to be let go by Metallurg. Coach Andrei Razin expressed disappointment in Kuznetsov's lack of attention to the defensive side of the game.

With Salavat, he'll be playing for coach Viktor Kozlov. The two are long-time friends. Both played for the Capitals, albeit not as teammates.