One of the main discussion points surrounding the Washington Capitals this offseason has been center Evgeny Kuznetsov and whether or not he’ll still be a Caps player come the first drop of the puck in October.
Kuznetsov is coming off a disappointing 2022-23 campaign that saw him record 23 fewer points than his 2021-22 output and has seen his name pop up in trade rumors on a consistent basis this summer.
Match TV reported last March that Kuznetsov had requested a trade in consecutive seasons through his agent. In July, Capitals’ senior writer Mike Vogel confirmed that Kuzy desired a change of scenery.
Caps captain Alex Ovechkin was asked by Irina Motova of Russian outlet RIA Novosti on Friday to give his thoughts on all of the noise surrounding his long-time linemate and countryman.
“I have no information about the exchange of Kuznetsov,” Ovechkin said as translated by Google Translate. “I know as much as you do. How will I react to the exchange? This is a hockey business. Today you are here, tomorrow there, the day after tomorrow on another team.
“I hope that this will not happen, because he is my close friend, a wonderful person, a great teammate. Therefore, I would not want this, but it does not depend on me.”
Ovechkin and Kuznetsov have been great friends ever since Kuznetsov arrived in DC near the end of the 2013-14 season. The dynamic Russian duo has translated that friendship onto the ice and enjoyed tremendous offensive success playing with one another on the team’s top line. But, that success has waned in recent years.
Last season, the two shared the ice at five-on-five for over 369 minutes. The Caps were outscored 23 to 21 in those minutes and saw just 49.3 percent of the shot attempts, 42.7 percent of the expected goals, 45.8 percent of the scoring chances, and 37.2 percent of the high-danger chances.
That decline combined with the emergence of Dylan Strome and Kuznetsov’s tumultuous relationship with the team’s brass make it a real possibility that Ovechkin and Kuznetsov could be permanently separated. At the NHL Draft in Nashville a couple months ago, the Caps and Predators were reportedly involved in discussions that would have seen Kuznetsov sent to Music City to play under his old head coach Barry Trotz.
The deal did not materialize but Caps general manager Brian MacLellan indicated last week that he’s still in the market for a change to his top-six forward group. And, he referenced his trade talks from the draft potentially being revisited.
“I think we’ve had a few discussions at the draft that might carry forward or might not carry forward,” MacLellan said. “We’re comfortable with where we’re at but would still like to make a change. We’ll see where it goes here.”
If Kuznetsov is indeed moved any time in the next year, he will miss Ovechkin potentially tying and passing Wayne Gretzky for the NHL lead in all-time goals. A feat that Kuznetsov has majorly contributed to and has made known he very much wants to be involved in at the end of the line.
“Possibly be in that picture!” Kuznetsov said when asked about the potential achievement in 2021.
“Yeah, if Ovi hit any milestone, he always put the picture with other guys,” Kuznetsov explained, “but when I was there, he never put any pictures. I was waiting for that 700 goals, but it didn’t happen so I gotta use the opportunity to be there. So I’ll answer it that way!”
That gripe was eventually erased by Ovechkin when he passed Jaromir Jagr for third on the all-time list in March of 2022 and snapped this pic with Kuzy.
🖊 𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Fg6JDdhMh0
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 16, 2022
With no suitor yet found and a new regime installed with bench boss Spencer Carbery now at the helm, perhaps Kuzy and Ovi will get the chance to take that ultimate picture. Kuznetsov is signed with the team through the next two seasons.
