The Montreal Canadiens are one of several teams that have shown some interest in signing Evgeny Kuznetsov, as the Russian is looking to make an NHL comeback.
Kuznetsov left the NHL last season, returning to Russia and playing in the KHL. After one season in the KHL, Kuznetsov has shown interest in making an NHL comeback, and the Canadiens are one of the teams showing serious interest in him, according to NHL insider Marco D’Amico of RG.org.
“On top of their interest in bringing in left-shot centre Joe Veleno, the Canadiens are kicking tires on another left-handed center; a striking need with the departure of Christian Dvorak,” D’Amico wrote. “RG Media first reported that Evgeny Kuznetsov would like to make an NHL comeback and that nearly 10 teams had shown interest in him. Since then, we’ve received word that the Montreal Canadiens are indeed one of those teams; and the fit is rather easy to understand.
“Due to Montreal’s lack of centre depth, Kuznetsov would get guaranteed minutes playing next to his former SKA teammate, Ivan Demidov. It would also give the Canadiens an extra year to figure out what they have in Michael Hage and Dach,” D’Amcio wrote. “Kuznetsov’s camp is said to be mulling over a few offers at the moment and will be making a decision in the coming days. They’re looking for the best fit possible at the moment on a winning roster.”
Kuznetsov was selected in the first round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals. The snipe helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018.
In his NHL career, Kuznetsov has skated in 737 games, recording 171 goals and 397 assists for 568 points. The Russian’s career-high is 27 goals and 83 points.
Agent: Kuznetsov Focused on Making NHL Comeback
After just one season back in Russia, Kuznetsov is looking to return to the NHL.
Kuznetsov’s agent, Shumi Babaev, told RG Media that the Russian is focused on making an NHL comeback.
“I worked with Evgeny in Russia. In the U.S., he had a different agent, but now I represent his interests in the NHL,” Babaev said to RG. “He asked for my opinion, and I’ve always said that the NHL is where he belongs. Last year, he was mentally and physically exhausted and wanted to come back to Russia. But even at 60–70% of his usual level, he was still one of the top players in the KHL…
“Not because there are no offers from Russia—there are. And honestly, he’d still be one of the best players in the KHL. But right now, the focus is on returning to the NHL,” Babaev added.
In the KHL last season, Kuznetsov recorded 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points in 39 games. He was a two-time All-Star in the NHL.
Canadiens Looking to Upgrade Top-Six
Montreal’s interest in Kuznetsov does make sense as the Canadiens are looking to upgrade their top-six.
A source told D’Amico that even after trading for Noah Dobson, the team isn’t done. Instead, the focus has now turned to offense.
“The Canadiens are far from done,” said a source close to the situation. “I’ve heard of them still actively looking for a fit on their top-6.”
A second or third-line center could be an area of need, as well as just adding more scoring to he roster.
Insider: Canadiens Interested in Signing Russian Sniper in Return to NHL