Russian attacker Evgeny Kuznetsov after going to “Caroline ” said he was given the “last chance” in his career.
On Friday, Carolina announced the transfer of the 31-year-old forward following a trade with the Washington Capitals. On March 2, the capital club offered the Russian to the waiver draft immediately after learning that Kuznetsov had completed the NHL player assistance program and was cleared for training. Not a single club in the league has started to take away the rights to the striker. As a result, Washington sent Kuznetsov to the Hershey farm club.
“I spent 11 years in Washington, my two children were born there and this city holds a huge place in my heart. Unfortunately, I had to leave on that note, but such is life. I will remember the time I spent there for the rest of my life. I have incredible memories. But now I’m happy to be here and start a new chapter in my life.
I have high expectations. I haven’t been playing as well as I should lately and I accept that, I’m working on it. I know how this team plays and how I should play. Ultimately, skill on the ice is important, you have to make decisions, you have to understand when to take control of the game, and when to act more simply. And I feel like I can play like that.
I’m looking forward to my debut in the team. I need to get back into hockey, I haven’t played in a long time. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and the best way to apologize to people is to have a big impact on the game. I have never run away from the mistakes I made in the past. I learn a lot. This is my last opportunity, this is my last chance. Now everything is in my hands,” Kuznetsov said, as quoted by The Hockey News.
For the Russian forward, the Capitals received a third-round pick in the 2025 draft. Washington will continue to pay the hockey player 50% of his salary. The forward’s current contract, with a salary of $7.8 million, runs until the end of next season.
Kuznetsov is a Stanley Cup winner with Washington, for whom he has played throughout his NHL career since 2014. As a member of the Russian national team, he became a two-time world champion. This season, the forward scored 17 points (6+11) in 43 matches for Stolichny.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
