Kuznetsov Scores Potential Goal of the Year in the KHL

Evgeny Kuznetsov might have just scored what could be a candidate for goal of the year. While it wasn’t in the NHL, during a KHL game on Monday, the former Washington Capital and Carolina Hurricanes forward picked up a puck in mid-air, balanced it on the blade of his stick like a Michigan, and flicked it past the goaltender and top shelf for a beauty.

You can see the lacrosse-style goal in the video below:

Evgeny Kuznetsov with an unreal goal in the KHL! ?

?: @khl_eng pic.twitter.com/ZhKanIDjzk

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 18, 2024

It was an elite-level skilled play that seemed to develop out of a broken chance and it’s certainly not something just any hockey player could do. That Kuznetsov was able to do the move while in motion only made it that much more impressive.

Kuznetsov‘s NHL career came to an end this offseason as he signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. At 32, he joined one of the KHL’s wealthiest teams, also home to top prospect Alexander Nikishin.

The contract, as reported by Russian journalist Daria Tuboltseva, is speculated to include an average annual value (AAV) of $950,000 USD with significant potential bonuses.

For his 11-year NHL career, he played 743 games, scored 173 goals, and accumulated 575 points. His postseason contributions were notable as well, with 33 goals and 73 points in 97 playoff games. He was a key figure in the Washington Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup victory, leading the team in scoring throughout the championship run.

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