Evgeny Kuznetsov

Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov will miss the next four games at least. Peter Laviolette: ‘We knew the rules.’

The Washington Capitals will be without Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov for the next week of games at least after the Russians broke NHL protocol by hanging out in a hotel room together during their recent road trip.

“Right now the players are in quarantine,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said. “At this point, I believe it’s four games and then under review so we’ll go from there. There’ll probably be an announcement at some point.

“Those are four big pieces for us, important pieces,” Laviolette said. “They’ll be missed.”

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By Ian Oland 2 days ago

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Nastya Ovechkina criticizes NHL after Alex Ovechkin, Caps’ Russians placed on league’s COVID unavailability list

Alex Ovechkin’s wife, Nastya, took to Instagram on Thursday to share her thoughts on the Russian Capitals’ placement on the NHL’s COVID-19 unavailability list. Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Orlov, and Samsonov were disciplined and uneligible to play for a while after hanging out together in a hotel room during the Capitals’ most recent road trip. The Capitals were fined $100,000 as a team.

“I regret my choice to spend time together with my teammates in our hotel room and away from the locker room areas,” Ovechkin said in a statement released by the Capitals. “I will learn from this experience.”

Nastya took umbrage with the arbitrary nature of the league’s protocol.

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By Ian Oland 2 days ago

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The Capitals’ lines and pairings without Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Orlov, and Samsonov

The Washington Capitals took the ice on Thursday without four of their best players: Alex Ovechkin, the team’s elite goalscorer and captain; Evgeny Kuznetsov, the team’s second-line center; Dmitry Orlov, a first-pairing defender; and Ilya Samsonov, the team’s starting netminder. The four Russians were placed on the NHL’s COVID unavailability list due to breaking protocol during their recent road trip and the team was fined $100,000.

Capitals’ head coach Peter Laviolette responded to the absences by promoting Jakub Vrana to the first line, Brenden Dillon to the first pairing, and the bottom six to the middle six. Jonas Siegenthaler, who has sat during all four games this season, jumped onto the second pair and skated with Justin Schultz while Conor Sheary got back into the lineup.

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By Ian Oland 2 days ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov: NHL ‘strictly warned’ Capitals for breaking COVID protocols after first game of season

The NHL announced on Wednesday that four of the Capitals’ biggest stars – Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuzetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov – were all placed on the NHL’s COVID unavailability list due to hanging out together in a hotel room during their recent road trip, violating the league’s “no individual shall permit guests” protocol. The Capitals were also fined $100,000.

Days earlier on January 17, Evgeny Kuznetsov spoke to Sport Express’s Alexey Shevchenko and revealed that the Capitals were “strictly warned” after their first game of the season against the Buffalo Sabres.

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By Ian Oland 2 days ago

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Caps, Alex Ovechkin release statements about COVID protocol violation

Earlier on Wednesday, the Capitals were assessed a large fine (to me at least, maybe not to Ted) for violating the NHL’s COVID protocols.

Then we learned that Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, and Ilya Samsonov are unavailable due to the COVID protocols.

Now the Caps and Ovechkin have released statements that should clear everything up.

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By Peter Hassett 2 days ago

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NHL announces Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, Alex Ovechkin, and Ilya Samsonov unavailable due to COVID protocols

The other shoe has dropped. The NHL has released the Washington Capitals’ unavailabilities due to COVID protocols.

The list is the Caps Russians: forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin, defender, Dmitry Orlov, and goalie Ilya Samsonov.

Earlier today, the Caps were fined $100,000 for violating COVID protocols.

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By Peter Hassett 2 days ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov on how many goals Alex Ovechkin will score during the shortened season: ‘I truly believe that he’s gonna get fifty’

Alex Ovechkin is 35-years-old. There are 26 fewer games this season than usual (69 percent of a normal season). Granted I was an art major, but that simple math and logic suggest that Ovi, who averages .61 goals per game during his career, is unlikely to score 50 goals this season.

Do not tell this to Evgeny Kuznetsov.

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By Ian Oland 1 week ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov tried out one of Zdeno Chara’s super long sticks during practice: ‘Just don’t break it, I don’t have enough’

Evgeny Kuznetsov is back with some wholesome hockey content for you ahead of the start of the 2020-21 season.

Tuesday, Kuznetsov asked future Hall of Famer, Zdeno Chara, if he could try out one of his gigantic sticks. Chara said yes, but only on one condition.

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By Ian Oland 2 weeks ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov scores breakaway goal with a slapshot ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Evgeny Kuznetsov was shuffled to the second line after the first scrimmage and his opening period of Scrimmage No. 2 did not get rave reviews. On one play, Kuznetsov got fancy on a breakaway and did not get a shot off. During another shift, Kuzy was wide open and faked a slapshot, before muddling a scoring chance away. Ken Sabourin of Capitals Radio criticized Kuzy for not being aggressive enough offensively – a challenge the Chelyabinsk native has struggled with at times during his career.

As the second period unfolded, the Capitals Radio team pointed out that Kuzy did not take the ice for the first nine minutes — perhaps a benching or perhaps some line shuffling to look at some bubble players. When the Russian center returned for the final half of the game, he was a noticeably different player.

For instance, he scored on a breakaway with a slapshot.

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By Ian Oland 2 weeks ago

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