Evgeny Kuznetsov’s return to the NHL still has not come to fruition but his agent says his client’s prospects are still looking good.
“A couple more options have emerged. But now everything is in a long-term stage, we can’t put a final [pen to paper],” Shumi Babayev told Match TV on Tuesday and translated by Google translate. “Either Evgeny is not happy with something, or we are not. For now we are going in this mode.”
It’s unclear what “options” those may be, but Kuznetsov had been tied previously to the Montreal Canadiens earlier in the summer. Babayev did, however, rule out one team entirely: the Washington Capitals.
“The option of returning to Washington was not considered,” he said to Sport24 Saturday. Kuznetsov was drafted 26th overall by the Caps in 2010 and helped them lift the Stanley Cup in 2018. He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024 after sub-par production and a stint in the NHL’s Player Recovery Program.
Kuznetsov spent the 2024-25 season with SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL, notching just 37 points (12g, 25a) in 39 games due to injury. The two mutually agreed to terminate the remainder of his contract in April.
If he’s unable to land an NHL contract, Kuznetsov may have to return to the KHL mid-season as the 2025-26 campaign began on Sept. 5. His agent doesn’t believe that will be the case, however.
“He is training and preparing for the new season,” Babayev said. “In recent days, there have been conversations with the heads of NHL clubs, while we are in the process of searching. There are no problems in the negotiations. I am sure that by the beginning of the season, Kuznetsov will already have a team overseas.
“We don’t have any specific preferences for the club. I think that 60-70 percent of the teams in the NHL have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Of course, there are a few favorites, but many have a chance.”
Kuznetsov spent a significant amount of the offseason in the DC area, appearing at Capitals MedStar Iceplex for some beer league hockey, but is currently in his native Chelyabinsk as his wait to return to North America continues.
“There are no thoughts about ending his career, Kuznetsov is only 33 years old,” Babayev concluded.
