The Washington Capitals have completed the Evgeny Kuznetsov trade according to reports. Washington will send the embattled forward to the Carolina Hurricanes for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The Caps will also retain 50-percent of the Russian’s salary. This is according to TSN and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
Caps make Evgeny Kuznetsov Trade with Hurricanes
Kuznetsov has played only for the Capitals across his 11-year NHL career. This season he has only six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 43 games. He has a Corsi for of 46.6 and a relative Corsi of 0.3.
The Chelyabinsk, Russia native has 171 goals and 397 assists for 568 points in 723 career games. Washington originally drafted him in the first round, 26th overall of the 2010 NHL Draft.
The Capitals are retaining 50 per cent of his salary. He has one more year left on his contract at a $7.8 million cap hit, LeBrun reports. Kuznetsov is in the seventh year of an eight-year contract that saw him make $7.8 million per season. Washington will hang onto half of that salary for this season and next.
He helped lead the Capitals to their only Stanley Cup championship in 2018 where he recorded 12 goals and 32 points in 24 games.
What It Means
The veteran has struggled this season and was admitted into the league’s player assistance program. Kuznetsov was recently place on waivers and was scheduled to play with the AHL Hershey Bears. However, Kuznetsov looks to be headed to Carolina.
This move gives the Hurricanes another body. He could be a help to the middle-six of a forward group that has been beefed up at the deadline. Carolina did add Jake Guentzel, but adding a veteran could be a sneaky-good pickup.
The cap hit may work because the Capitals are retaining half of the salary. It could be a risky pickup, but it could be one that gives Carolina some more depth.
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