Evgeny Kuznetsov is making headlines in Russia again after missing the last two games for SKA St. Petersburg.
The former Washington Capitals forward did not play in SKA’s 7-2 loss against Spartak on Wednesday and their 1-0 loss to Dynamo on Thursday, with the team attributing those absences to illness. Before sitting out those two games, Kuznetsov received 24:13 of ice time and was a minus-4 in a 6-4 loss to the Kunlun Red Star on Saturday.
The latest Kuznetsov controversy began when Sport-Express journalist Artur Khairullin shared on Telegram that, “There is a high probability that Kuznetsov will no longer play for SKA,” as translated by Google Translate.
Kuznetsov’s agent Shumi Babayev denied the report, telling Match TV that it was “gossip.”
“A person gets sick, and they immediately have this information,” Babayev said. “Where do they get it, I wonder? Where does this information come from? I just find it funny to read.”
Babayev continued, “Zhenya got sick. It looks like he’s also suffering from a concussion. There hasn’t been any talk yet that he won’t play anymore.”
On Thursday, Match TV’s Pavel Lysenkov was told by a source that Kuznetsov had fallen “seriously ill” due to an acute respiratory viral infection and that his concussion symptoms from earlier in the season had returned. Kuznetsov missed a month and a half due to the previous injury.
The source added that Kuznetsov has struggled emotionally re-adjusting playing in the KHL and being under a microscope. The way the source put it, neither Kuznetsov nor the team have been satisfied with how this season has played out. Kuznetsov has 37 points (12g, 25a) in 38 games played.
To be honest, Kuzya even fell into depression from what happened to him after returning to Russia. He thought that he would be well received at home. But instead, he faced obstruction from fans and Internet users, as well as unclear refereeing, when blows to the head are not considered something outrageous. And then there were the illnesses…
You have to be (with) the (hockey) club to understand the whole situation. But, according to my information, SKA will not terminate the contract with Kuznetsov, but will take care of his treatment.
At the same time, there is a possibility that the star forward will not play this season. However, they are fully counting on him in the future.
SKA officially placed the 2018 Stanley Cup champion on injured reserve on Friday, saying in a statement on Telegram:
SKA forward Evgeny Kuznetsov has been added to the injured list and will continue to recover from a concussion.
Friends, let’s write more kind words and wishes for health to Zhenya in the comments. We will definitely pass on all your positive feedback to him – we are sure that it is important for him now to feel the real support of the fans! 💙❤️
Being placed on the injured list will keep Kuznetsov out at least for the next month. SKA currently sits in a playoff spot, seventh in the West, with 8 games remaining. Their final game of the regular season is March 22 against Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.
Match TV reported later, via a “source close to the situation,” that Kuznetsov was injured during the team’s game against Kunlun, suffering his second concussion this season. They published a Q/A with the anonymous source:
Q: Since when did SKA forward Evgeny Kuznetsov begin to feel suddenly unwell?
A: This happened on February 22, 2025, in the SKA – Kunlun match (4:6), when Kunlun hockey player Austin Vaughn hit Evgeny Kuznetsov in the head with his head after the SKA forward had already parted with the puck and was running to attack.
It turned out that Kuznetsov, who had barely recovered from a concussion, received another concussion, the second this season. Such a serious injury… The opponents played hard with him.
The next day Evgeny felt worse, and he also had an acute respiratory viral infection. He was not put in the match with Spartak, and the rest you know.
Q: Could Kuznetsov return this season?
A: It is extremely doubtful. But it cannot be completely ruled out. Evgeny is starting new treatment, currently in St. Petersburg.
The reporting appears to be backed up by X user @Uggg_uggg who posted a highlight of Kuznetsov clanging helmets with the Kunlun player.
The two-time NHL All-Star has a history of concussions, most notably suffering one with Washington after taking an elbow to the head from Brandon Tanev in 2018.
Kuznetsov’s struggles this season come after he jointly terminated his NHL contract with the Carolina Hurricanes last summer and signed an incentive-laden four-year contract with SKA last July hoping for a fresh start.
