Former Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov planning NHL comeback
Longtime Washington Capitals center and 2018 Stanley Cup champion Evgeny Kuznetsov is reportedly planning a return to the National Hockey League.
Kuznetsov’s agent, Shumi Babayev, announced in a Telegram post on Thursday that he has already begun the process of orchestrating an NHL comeback for his client.
“From now on I represent the interests of Evgeny Kuznetsov in the National Hockey League,” Babayev posted.
“Today I have already spoken with a number of clubs about Evgeny’s contract in the NHL. I have decided that next year he will play in North America.”
Kuznetsov, 33, left North America to return to his native Russia after the 2023-24 season, which he split between the Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes. The 6’1″ center collected 37 points in 39 games with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg in the 2024-25 season.
Former Capital and Hurricane Evgeny Kuznetsov is looking to make a return to the NHL for the 2025-26 season per his agent. pic.twitter.com/LszjtLIvfO
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) June 26, 2025A first-round pick (No. 26 overall) of the Capitals in 2010, Kuznetsov made his NHL debut with the club in he 2013-14 season and quickly established himself as a strong top-six center behind Nicklas Backstrom. He surpassed the 70-point mark four times during his tenure in D.C. and set career highs with 27 goals and 83 points during the Capitals’ 2017-18 championship season.
Kuznetsov reached a new level with the Capitals in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording a team- and league-leading 32 points in 24 postseason contests. However, he lost out on the Conn Smythe Trophy to linemate and team captain Alex Ovechkin.
After a few more strong years with the Capitals, Kuznetsov regressed to just eight goals and 24 points in 63 games in 2023-24 and missed a month of action while in the NHL Player Assistance Program. The Capitals traded Kuznetsov to Carolina at the deadline in exchange for a third-round pick, and he managed four goals and six points in 10 playoff games with the Hurricanes before leaving for the KHL in the offseason.
Through 743 career NHL games over parts of 11 seasons, Kuznetsov has collected 173 goals and 575 points. He’s added 73 points (33 goals, 40 assists) in 97 playoff contests. During his tenure with the Capitals, Kuznetsov represented the team at the NHL All-Star Game in 2016 and 2022.