To say Evgeny Kuznetsov’s 2021 NHL season was a roller coaster would be an understatement; the eight-yet vet was a key part of the Caps’ Stanley Cup run in 2018, but has underwhelmed since, and this season alone, he dealt with two bouts of COVID-19, at least one violation of team COVID protocols that cost the team a six-figure fine, and a one-game suspension issued for being late to a team function.
Caps GM Brian MacLellan told Grant and Danny on Wednesday that it was “difficult to evaluate” Kuznetsov’s year, but that when it came to all the infractions, “the act is tired for a lot of us,” and at some point, they have to consider whether “the juice is worth the squeeze.”
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If you ask Kuznetsov himself though, the answer is yes, as he said this week that he hopes to remain in D.C. for the 2021-22 season.
“Of course. I like this team. I like to be here and this organization, the team, did a lot of good things for me and I believe I've done some good things also,” Kuznetsov said.
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun first noted the possibility of Kuznetsov being moved after that suspension, and in his end-of-season press conference before joining Grant & Danny Wednesday, MacLellan said that “we're always open to trading people if it makes sense for what's going on, and will make our team better.”
That possibility, plus the coming expansion draft that will craft the inaugural Seattle Kraken roster, could mean the Caps have to make the tough choice to either trade, or potentially lose, a player who had a career-high 27 goals and 83 points during the Caps’ Cup run in 2017-18 but fell to just nine goals and 20 assists in 41 games this season.
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Kuzy, however, is hoping neither of those moves occur, and he’ll get the chance to finish out the eight-year, $62.5 million deal he signed in July 2017 in D.C.
“All I’m worried about what people inside the team and what coaches, what they think actually and what they want me to do," Kuznetsov said. "If I am not successful, those rumors happen for every player. That’s the business, and I understand that whatever is going to happen, my job is just to be in shape, practice and perform on the ice. I am never going to complain about anything, because I understand that if I didn’t [have] success on the ice, I know I have to be better.”
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