Evgeny Kuznetsov signs four-year contract with KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg

A former top scorer in the NHL is heading back home to Russia.

On Wednesday, SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League officially announced that forward Evgeny Kuznetsov has signed a four-year contract.

Kuznetsov was available to return to his homeland after the Carolina Hurricanes placed the 32-year-old on unconditional waivers earlier this month for the purposes of a mutual contract termination. He was acquired by the Hurricanes from the Washington Capitals right before the 2023-24 trade deadline. It was the first time Kuznetsov played for someone other than the Capitals in his 11-year NHL career.

This past season, Kuznetsov scored just eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in 63 games, by far the lowest total in a single season in his career. He had a bit of a resurgence during the Hurricanes’ run to the Eastern Conference Final, scoring four goals and six points in 10 games.

In 743 NHL games, Kuznetsov registered 173 goals and 402 assists, including 73 points in 97 playoff games. He played a huge part in helping the Capitals win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2018, scoring 32 points in 24 appearances.

While the contract details have not been made public by SKA, a report from Match TV in Russia says that Kuznetsov will be made 92 million rubles per season, an ode to his number. That salary converts to just $1.1 million USD, a massive step down from the $6 million cap hit he had on the final year of his NHL contract.

This is the first time in over a decade that Kuznetsov will be under contract with a KHL team. Prior to joining the Capitals during the 2013-14 season, he was playing with his hometown team, Traktor Chelyabinsk. Kuznetsov played over four seasons with Traktor before coming to the NHL.

Previously, the two-time NHL All-Star has played in 210 KHL games, scoring 65 goals and 81 assists, including 21 points in 41 Gagarin Cup Playoff games.