Evgeny Kuznetsov can’t wait for the Capitals’ first-round series against the Florida Panthers, but it’s not for the reason you might think.

Kuznetsov, who looked absolutely miserable during a press conference on Tuesday, admitted that he’s like all of us, DMV’ers.

The start of spring is crushing him.

“I just want to get out of here because I have allergies,” Kuznetsov said, sending the media into laughter. “I’m so excited we start on the road so I can breathe tomorrow.”

The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir surmised that there’s not much ragweed in Florida.

“It’s just here in this city!” Kuznetsov, a native of Chelyabinsk, Russia, said.

Kuzy’s eyes looked red. The first-line center wiped his nose and rubbed his eyes several times during the interview. He could also be seen taking deep breaths to get air into his congested lungs.

The allergy issue isn’t just a Kuzy problem. Nicklas Backstrom once got suspended from a gold medal game in the Olympics for taking Zyrtec.

There are other reasons the Capitals should be excited about traveling to Sunrise, FL for Game One other than the wonderful weather and nice beaches. The Capitals had the best road record in the NHL this season (25-10-6), which was a similar characteristic of Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup team in the postseason. The Capitals won 10 of 13 games away from Capital One Arena, tying the NHL record for most road wins in a playoff year.

“When we start at home, I don’t feel anything,” Kuznetsov said in 2018. “I personally love playing more on the road.”

And now maybe the tree pollen is another reason why.

Screenshot: @Capitals/Twitter