With his hockey season over in Russia, Evgeny Kuznetsov returned to North America, and on Monday, he was spotted north of the border to take in an important hockey game.
The Russian centerman attended Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes at Bell Centre, which was won by the Canes 3-2 in overtime.
Kuznetsov, wearing glasses that scream I own several vinyl records, sat in the upper bowl with his wife, Anastasia Kuznetsova, and his two children, Ecenia and Fedor. Notably, Ecenia was wearing a Habs jersey.
Evgeny Kuznetsov reveals he’s at Canadiens game
After spending 11 seasons with the Washington Capitals, Kuznetsov, who led the team in points during its 2018 Stanley Cup championship run, played his final NHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Caps traded him to Carolina at the 2024 Trade Deadline while he was in Hershey, giving him a fresh start after a stint in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program.
While Kuznetsov has history with Carolina, it appears he was there in support of Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov. Kuznetsov played on the same line as Demidov while the two were teammates on SKA Saint Petersburg during the KHL’s 2024-25 season.
Demidov’s girlfriend, Kate Yakovleva, posted a photo on her Instagram Story, showing herself spending the day in Montreal with Kuzy’s family. She was also seated next to them in Kuznetsov’s Instagram videos.
Kuznetsov was also linked to Montreal last summer as a potential free-agent signing, but a deal never came to fruition.
Kuznetsov is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he played for both Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL. The centerman found success late in the year playing under Salavat Yulaev head coach (and former Capitals forward), Viktor Kozlov, posting 18 points (6g, 12a) in 19 regular-season games while being up to his, uhhh, usual hijinks.
Kuznetsov could end up playing in Switzerland’s National League next year, per his agent, if he can’t land a suitable job in the KHL or NHL.
