On the NHL Trade Deadline Day, with less than five hours to go before trades closed, the Carolina Hurricanes acquired arguably their most skilled player for half-off. Giving up only a 2025 third-round pick, the Canes acquired center Evgeny Kuznetsov, and the Russian has already produced elite numbers since joining the team.
The forward has had a rocky start to the season, but a change in scenery has benefitted him immensely. Following 43 games with the Washington Capitals, where he recorded a career-low 0.4 points per game, Kuznetsov entered the NHL’s Player Assistance Program.
After spending about a month in the Player Assistance Program, for confidential reasons, Kuznetsov was put on waivers and sent down to Washington’s AHL affiliate the Hershey Bears. Before he could see game action with the team, he was traded to Carolina and got on a plane to Raleigh.
Washington’s and Carolina’s front office thought a change of scenery was necessary for the forward to get back to playing like his old self. In just five games, the 31-year-old seems to have gotten not just his mojo back but the love and praise of his teammates to back him up.
“[Kuznetsov] might be the best passer I’ve ever seen in my life.” said center Seth Jarvis.
In just six games with the team, Kuznetsov has tallied 2 goals and 2 assists all while accumulating a +5 rating. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour has a soft spot for defensively-reliable forwards, and Kuznetsov has been that and much more.
When paired with center Martin Necas, Kuznetsov has been offensively dominant on the ice. The dynamic duo have literally skated circles around their opponents time and time again creating not just goal-scoring opportunities for themselves but also for their linemates and defensemen.
Whether their third linemate has been right wing Andrei Svechnikov, right wing Stefan Noesen or left wing Jake Guentzel, they have been Carolina’s top line over the past stretch of games. In the last three games, Kuznetsov has caught fire with a point in all three.
Although known for how he distributes the puck and can facilitate play, Kuznetsov has a rocket of a shot too. Patiently outwaiting a Florida defenseman in the slot, Kuznetsov fired a wrister past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal as a Cane and sent PNC into a frenzy with his iconic bird celebration.
His skill instantly gave him opportunities on the team’s power play and for a team whose power play is as good as Carolina’s, to instantly throw him in there is a testament to how good Kuznetsov will be once he gets comfortable.
There is plenty to talk about what Kuznetsov brings on the ice but when making deep playoff runs, what a player brings off the ice can be just as important. Everyone in the locker room talks about the joy that radiates from Kuznetsov and how much fun it is to be around the guy.
Kuznetsov is a leader and someone everyone in the Canes dressing room looks to. During the Washington Capitals playoff run he had 32 points in 24 games, the team lead. In his first couple of games, he was on the bench talking to Necas and Noesen, with a tablet in his hands, being a leader.
If the Hurricanes want to win the whole thing, they need someone who has the experience and the skill to get them there. Kuznetsov does everything and more for this team, and if the Hurricanes weren’t already a cup contender, they may have become the favorites.
