Elliotte Friedman

Elliotte Friedman: Evgeny Kuznetsov was rumored to be offered $10 million a season to return to KHL

The Washington Capitals’ offseason plan went haywire when the team re-signed Evgeny Kuznetsov to an expensive eight-year, $62.4 million contract. The deal made Kuznetsov the eighth-highest paid center in the NHL and the highest-paid pivot on the Capitals. It forced the team to trade its third-leading goalscorer Marcus Johansson, in a salary-dump deal to the New Jersey Devils.

The Caps had hoped to get Kuznetsov at a lower number, but the KHL influenced the negotiations. And now we potentially know how much via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

(more…)

Evgeny Kuznetsov ‘didn’t talk hockey all summer,’ took the Penguins playoff loss very hard

Elliotte Friedman released his latest 30 Thoughts column over the weekend and had an interesting bullet about Evgeny Kuznetsov.

After leading the Capitals in points during the regular season, Kuznetsov only managed a goal and an assist in 12 postseason games. Many Caps fans criticized Kuzy for disappearing during the playoffs. According to Friedman, Kuznetsov dwelled on his postseason play and the Caps loss to the Penguins. He sounded miserable over the offseason.

“We didn’t talk hockey all summer,” Kuznetsov said. “End of the day, you have to win something and you have to do it for your family. I think the whole team, we’re like a family. When I say family, I mean team. That’s the problem sometimes you can score 1,000 goals but what you got?”

(more…)