The Washington Capitals made waves when they announced they had put longtime center Evgeny Kuznetsov on waivers Saturday.
A day later, hockey insider Elliotte Friedman is now reporting that Kuznetsov has cleared waivers as no team put in a claim on the high-paid forward.
The Capitals loaned Kuznetsov to the AHL’s Hershey Bears minutes later. Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan made it clear that move would be the plan during his press conference on Saturday.
#Caps loan forward Evgeny Kuznetsov to the Hershey Bears (AHL).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) March 3, 2024
Kuznetsov has never played a game in the AHL, spending his early years with the KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk. The Capitals get $1.15 million of cap savings with the demotion.
“I think it’s about a fresh start for Kuzy, first of all,” MacLellan said Saturday. “I think he’s been looking for a change in environment and this might set the wheels in motion for that to be accomplished.”
The AHL-leading Bears are quite shorthanded up front at the moment with Hendrix Lapierre, Mike Sgarbossa, Pierrick Dubé, and Ivan Miroshnichenko all up with the Capitals, and both Riley Sutter and Ethen Frank currently out due to injury. Hershey was shut out for just the second time this season on Saturday night and are playing the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday afternoon.
Kuznetsov, a former 83-point scorer in the NHL, should provide a huge jolt to Todd Nelson’s lineup. Monumental Sports Network’s Craig Laughlin said before the Capitals’ game against the Coyotes on Sunday that Kuznetsov intends to report to the AHL.
“For him, probably a fresh start,” Laughlin said. “It is his intention to report to Hershey if he does clear and possibly resume skating tomorrow.”
Via @CapFriendly, Evgeny Kuznetsov's salary in the minors is $8 million https://t.co/K749xHengX pic.twitter.com/4nnPJbJcl6
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 3, 2024
Before he can get into a game for the Bears, Kuznetsov needs to first complete the post-care process of the NHL/NHLPA’s Player Assistance Program. Kuznetsov entered the program in early February and was cleared to return to practice just hours before being waived by the Capitals.
Kuznetsov’s demotion to the AHL will not impact a search for a trade suitor if that is the path that MacLellan wishes to travel before the March 8 trade deadline. The 31-year-old is still under contract with the Capitals through next season.
