Evgeny Kuznetsov is at Lenovo Center for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights, and while there, he ran into an old friend.
Kuznetsov posted a photo with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to his Instagram account — though he made clear who asked for a photo with whom.
“Grandpa asked for a photo, I couldn’t say no!” Kuznetsov wrote in Russian, as translated by Google Translate.
Kuznetsov published the image shortly after NHL media asked the 74-year-old “Grandpa” Bettman about potentially retiring and whether there was a succession plan.
“Reports on my demise have been greatly exaggerated,” Bettman quipped.
Kuznetsov’s stop in Raleigh comes after he traveled up to Bell Centre last week for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens. Kuznetsov appeared to be there in support of former SKA St. Petersburg teammate Ivan Demidov. Demidov’s girlfriend sat with Kuznetsov’s family, waving in a selfie video that the 2018 Stanley Cup champion posted.
Kuznetsov ended his NHL career (at least for now) during the 2023-24 season with the Hurricanes after the Capitals dealt him to Carolina at the trade deadline that year.
The photo of Kuznetsov and Bettman comes nearly seven years after the commissioner suspended the then-Capitals centerman for three games due to “inappropriate conduct.”
Kuznetsov spoke about the in-person hearing with Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly that led to that suspension during a 2023 podcast appearance with the Russian outlet Slippery Ice. The “Grandpa” reference appears to be a play on his comments from that show.
From RMNB’s article entitled “Evgeny Kuznetsov says Bill Daly wanted to give him a much harsher suspension for his conduct related to a positive drug test”:
“If it weren’t for my desire to apologize to the club for the mistake, then there would probably have been total silence,” Kuznetsov said and as translated via Google Translate. “And so I went to Bettman’s office with [NHLPA reps]. They told me, ‘They can’t punish you at all. Why are you coming here?’ I answered that I had let people down. I should come at least look the person in the eyes, say this and that.
“The [NHLPA reps] say, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll go see Bettman now. Just a conversation between father and son, where they respect morality. Listen, just listen calmly.’ I say, ‘Yes, I’m a normal person, don’t worry.’”
Kuznetsov says he realized quickly into the meeting with the commissioner’s office that he was in for quite the unexpected talking to. “I see that it seems to be a real moral teaching, he said. “I say, ‘No problem, I’m sorry, so and so. I came to you as a human being, on my own, without agents, without anything, I’m sitting alone.’ Bettman says, ‘I respect that, thank you, well done.’”
While the conversation with Bettman seemed to eventually steer in a positive direction, Kuznetsov’s interaction with Daly didn’t go as well. “I think a 20-game [suspension] should be given,” Daly apparently chimed in.
Daly is in the background of the photo Kuznetsov posted, with his back to the camera.
Kuznetsov played last season with the KHL’s Salavat Yulaev and is currently an unrestricted free agent. It’s believed he still has a home in the DC area.
