The Carolina Hurricanes made the bold decision to put Evgeny Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers with the intention of terminating his NHL contract. This move came amid reports that Kuznetsov was planning to mutually terminate his contract and return to Russia to play for SKA Saint Petersburg in the KHL. The Hurricanes’ general manager, Eric Tulsky, stated that both sides agreed that this was the best course of action for both the player and the team.
Cap Obligations and Player’s History
Kuznetsov was owed $6 million of his $8 million salary in the final season of his $64.2 million, seven-year deal that he originally signed in 2017. Despite being the leading scorer on the Capitals‘ 2018 Stanley Cup run, Kuznetsov’s career has been inconsistent. He had a limited role with the Hurricanes and only managed to record 13 points in 30 regular-season and playoff games. This led to Coach Rod Brind’Amour benching Kuznetsov as a healthy scratch at one point during the playoffs.
Impact on Teams and Future Plans
The termination of Kuznetsov’s contract removes any cap obligations for both the Hurricanes and the Capitals. Carolina acquired Kuznetsov from Washington before the trade deadline in March, with the Capitals agreeing to retain half of his $7.8 million salary cap hit. With this move, Kuznetsov will now have the opportunity to continue his career in Russia’s KHL and pursue new opportunities with SKA Saint Petersburg.
While it may seem like a drastic decision to terminate a player’s contract, sometimes it is in the best interest of both the player and the team. Kuznetsov’s departure from North America marks a new chapter in his career and opens up possibilities for both the Hurricanes and the Capitals to explore new opportunities and roster configurations moving forward.
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