Former teammates Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov are together again.
The longtime friends and 2018 Stanley Cup champions are vacationing together in Miami, Florida as both the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes have their bye weeks at the same time.
And predictably, they were very happy to see each other.
Orlov boomeranged a live photo on his Instagram Story of Kuznetsov sitting on his lap and giving him a big smooch on the cheek. The Russian defenseman, who is now unintentionally mimicking Alex Ovechkin’s look, flashed a huge gap-toothed smile.
Kuznetsov and Orlov, along with their wives Anastasia and Varvara, also posed together for a group photo after going out to dinner.
“A wonderful evening with friends,” Anastasia wrote.
The two Russian buddies, who were both young stars in the KHL at the same time, became close during their nine years together in Washington, eventually becoming major reasons why the Capitals captured their first championship. Kuznetsov led the team in playoff points while Orlov was one of the team’s top defensemen.
After Washington dealt Orlov to Boston at the trade deadline last season, the two remained close, working out together after the Bruins’ first-round upset loss to the Florida Panthers. They later went bike-riding on the Mount Vernon Trail and ate ice cream together. The NHL players also surprised locals by playing in a rec league game at SkateQuest in Reston, VA.
Orlov recently played his first game at Capital One Arena since the trade and was honored by the Capitals with an emotional tribute video. Orlov, who scored in the game, opted against celebrating his goal.
“I’m not celebrating because I respect my old teammates, I respect the team,” he said.
