Evgeny Kuznetsov

Evgeny Kuznetsov: “Washington Made Me An Offer, But I Didn’t Promise Them Anything”

Photo credit: RIA Novosti, Vladimir Pesnya

R-Sport’s Alyona Shilova talked to Evgeny Kuznetsov about… you guessed it: heading to the NHL. Kuznetsov reveals that Washington has made an offer to him, but he has not responded.

Alyona Shilova: How do you feel? Is it possible to grow professionally here, in the KHL?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: Yes, that’s a very good level. Possibly our league will be on the same level as the NHL soon.

Alyona Shilova: During the playoffs you said you’ve made the decision regarding your future: you will stay for one more year… Has anything changed or you said it not to get asked this question for some time?

Evgeny Kuznetsov: I wanted people to leave me alone for some time. You get tired of that. April 30th [KHL qualifying offers deadline] will come. Traktor will have to make me an offer, and we’ll see then. There’s no talks about that yet. I can’t do anything yet, I can only think, dream and talk about it all the time with everybody.

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By 9 years ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov Waves Goodbye To Traktor Fans

The Evengy Kuznetsov saga continues. After making comments to Russian television indicating he wanted to remain in Russian next season and then backtracking, the time for Kuznetsov to make his decision has come. Kuzya’s KHL team, Traktor Chelyabinsk, was eliminated from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Finals in five games. He had two goals and two assists in the series.

He now has two options: sign Traktor’s qualifying offer worth around $1.5 million per year with the possibility of receiving an unknown KHL stipend or bolt to the NHL and sign an NHL entry level contact worth a maximum of $925,000 a season plus possible signing and performance bonuses. There are also outside factors likely to be at play — Kuznetsov was married last year and moving to America would be a big step for the 20-year-old non-English speaker. Kuznetsov is a part of the Russian national team so we likely won’t know anything until after the World Championships, taking place in Helsinki and Stockholm throughout May.

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By Chris Gordon 9 years ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov Tallies Three Points In First Two Games Of KHL Eastern Conference Finals

Evgeny Kuznetsov sprints down the wing during Game 1.

In the first two games of the KHL’s Eastern Conference Finals, Traktor managed to split their home games with Avangard. Evgeny Kuznetsov, who just came off a dominant, five-goal performance in the Semifinals, continued his torrid pace, netting two goals and an assist in Games 1 and 2. Let’s review.

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By 9 years ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov: “I Said I Was Staying So They’d Leave Me Alone”

Nine days ago, on KHL-TV’s “The Icing Show,” 19-year-old Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov revealed that he would stay in Russia next season.

“To be honest, my decision has been reached,” Kuznetsov told host Igor Larin. “It is my intention to continue my career in the KHL. At the same time there is no clarity as to which club it will be.”

Since then, no context has been gleaned from his statement until now.

Earlier today, Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice, including the game-winner, to help push Traktor Chelyabinsk to the Eastern Conference Finals. In an interview with Rossiya 2 TV after the game, Kuznetsov admitted that his statement about staying in KHL was not serious. “I said that I am staying so they’d leave me alone.”

Below the jump, I offer a complete translation of his comments.

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By Igor Kleyner 9 years ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov’s Dominant Performance Earns Traktor a Ticket to the Conference Finals

Kuznetsov interviewed during Game 4. (Photo credit: Sergey Manzheleev / Ak Bars)

This may or may not be the year when Evgeny Kuznetsov comes to DC. Nonetheless, the Caps prospect continues to put another impressive KHL season under his belt as Traktor Chelyabinsk only needed 11 games to get through two rounds of the playoffs. After their 4-1 victory over Ak Bars today – which Kuznetsov tallied the game-winning goal, Traktor will now face Avangard Omsk and Roman Cervenka, in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Kuzya missed part of the first round with a knee injury he suffered in the second to last game of the regular season. Once he returned, he was not in game shape, being held without a point in his two first playoff games. But then Kuznetsov showed his big-play ability again by scoring five goals in six games, including two game-winners and one series-winner.

Want to see all of Kuzya’s playoff goals? Check them out below the jump.

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By 9 years ago

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The KHL’s RFA Rules and How They Impact Evgeny Kuznetsov

With Evgeny Kuznetsov stating his desire to stay in the KHL but possibly switching teams, and Traktor management— well, disagreeing, we explored what Kuznetsov’s actual options are this Summer. Is being a restricted free agent in the KHL the same thing as being an RFA in the NHL? Can the KHL just dump buckets of cash at Kuznetsov’s front door? Do the Caps have any chance of landing him, especially considering the monetary limitations of the NHL’s entry-level contracts?

Below, I explain the rights of a restricted free agent according to the KHL’s Legal Regulations handbook (the league’s governing document), what Evgeny Kuznetsov’s options are, and if the Capitals still have any shot of bringing the talented winger over to North America.

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By Igor Kleyner 9 years ago

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Traktor’s Management Responds to Kuznetsov’s Comments

Traktor’s director Vladimir Krechin. (Photo credit: Traktor’s official website)

For a few weeks now the saga of Evgeny Kuznetsov has been dominating the hearts and minds of Caps fans. The question being, where will Kuzya be playing next year? Is he going to join the NHL team that selected him in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft? Will he stay true to his home town and remain a Traktorist for another season? Or will he prefer the greener pastures of another KHL club, perhaps a powerhouse like SKA St. Petersburg or even one of Traktor’s main KHL rivals like Salavat Yulaev Ufa?

The latest development in this story came in an interview Kuznetsov gave earlier this week to the host of KHL-TV’s “The Icing Show,” Igor Larin. Kuznetsov purportedly stated his intention to remain in the KHL, but not necessarily with his current club. KHL-TV has not yet made video of this interview available online.

Many Russian hockey analysts and former players have given their opinions on his decision since then, yet Kuznetsov’s team, Traktor Cheylabinsk, has stayed silent. Until now.

Traktor’s Director Vladimir Krechin spoke to Sport-Express’s Yuriy Golyshak after his team’s 2-1 victory over Ak Bars on Friday. My translation of their interview is below.

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By Igor Kleyner 9 years ago

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Former Capital Andrei Nikolishin: “Kuznetsov Should Go To The NHL”

Andrei Nikolishin donning a Caps jersey in 2000.

Andrei Nikolishin, who is currently playing in his 21st season of professional hockey, has had a long career. From 1996 to 2002, he was a Washington Capital. In 1998, along with teammates Dale Hunter, Peter Bondra, and Olie Kolzig, he helped the Caps reach their first ever Stanley Cup Final.

When the NHL lockout hit in 2004-05, Niko continued his career in Russia and eventually became a teammate of Evgeny Kuznetsov, playing with the Caps prospect in Traktor Cheylabinsk for two seasons in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

For this reason, Andrei, who now plays for Sokol Kyiv of the Ukrainian Professional Hockey League, was approached by Sportbox.ru to share his thoughts on the KHL playoffs and his former teammate’s decision to stay in Russia another year. My translation of his comments are below.

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By 9 years ago

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Winnipeg Jets Pregame: The Circus Has Left Town

Ladies and gentlemen, here’s Craig Brownstein of PuckBuddys. Tweet at ’em.

Cycling the Puck in a 24-Hour News Cycle

Malcontents, flamers, and haters: Gentle readers, Doug is taking a pass on the WPG pregamer and it’s in my mostly capable hands today. True story – He’s penning his RMNB resignation letter and is negotiating with the New York Times on placement, word count, accompanying artwork, and possible liability issues. If I’m reading his RMNB pregaming instructions correctly (which he scribbled on the back of a cocktail napkin), this is where I: A. Write opposing team’s city smells. B. Call their fans are ill-mannered, uncultured, uneducated, slovenly, and slack-jawed. C. Say opposing players are “stupid morons with ugly faces and a big butts and their butt smells and they like to kiss my butt.” D. Sit back and enjoy the smug satisfaction of being a hockey blogger.

But no. This game, the march to the playoffs and the gravity of the Caps precarious spot requires much more than just infantile name-calling. The seriousness of the situation screams out for far more elevated and sober commentary, which in this case means adolescent hectoring. And I’m the right man for the job.

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By Craig Brownstein 9 years ago

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Evgeny Kuznetsov Says He Will Remain in KHL Next Season

Photo credit: hotice.ru

On March 12th, the MHL, the KHL’s developmental league, held an All-Star game for under-18 year-old players in Cheylabinsk, Evgeny Kuznetsov’s hometown. KHL president Alexander Medvedev attended the one-day event and made time to meet with the local press. When asked his opinion about the future of the league’s most popular player, Medvedev responded, “Kuznetsov would be better playing a couple more years here.”

Apparently Kuznetsov agrees with Medvedev, because today on KHL-TV’s “The Icing Show,” the 19-year-old Caps prospect revealed that he will stay in Russia next season.

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By Ian Oland 9 years ago

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