Evgeny Kuznetsov Narrows NHL Return to Two Teams

Free agent forward Evgeny Kuznetsov could be closing in on an NHL return. After weeks of speculation, his agent Shumi Babaev confirmed to Sports Daily’s Mikhail Nyukhin that the veteran center has narrowed his options down to two teams.

While he didn’t reveal which clubs are in the mix, both are reportedly working on freeing up salary cap space to complete a deal. One thing we do know is that the Washington Capitals are not interested in bringing Kuznetsov back and the Montreal Canadiens (where he would have liked to go) have denied interest.

Now 33, Kuznetsov hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2023–24 season. That year began with the Washington Capitals before a stint in the Player Assistance Program and a trade to the Carolina Hurricanes. He managed 13 points in 30 total games with Carolina, including the playoffs, before terminating the final year of his contract to head home to Russia.

Kuznetsov signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg in 2024, but after a strong 39-game campaign, both sides agreed to part ways in April. Rather than pursue another KHL contract, he shifted his focus back to North America.

With 575 career NHL points across 743 games, he’s looking to get on with a team before the start of the 2025-26 campaign. Details on what gets decided should follow in the coming days.

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