Maple Leafs Urged to Sign Unexpected Cup-Champion Free Agent

Getty Evgeny Kuznetsov is a free agent at the Toronto Maple Leafs reach.

The Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have many options left in the free-agent market. If they still want to add depth to their forward corps, however, they might have an unexpected opportunity in front of them.

In an article published on July 24, Jesse Courville-Lynch of The Hockey Writers urged the Maple Leafs to sign fresh free agent Evgeny Kuznetsov following the termination of his contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.

“There was a belief he could opt to join the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia, but a recent report states that he could end up back in the NHL this upcoming season,” Courville-Lynch wrote. “Bringing in Kuznetsov allows the Maple Leafs to experiment with their lineup a bit too.

“The other benefit to bringing in Kuznetsov is that it likely wouldn’t break the bank and affect their salary cap in a big way. He would likely ask for a short-term deal, probably for one season, worth around $1 million. If that’s what he’s asking for, the Maple Leafs should be chomping at the bit to try and sign him.

“The Maple Leafs should be trying to get something done sooner rather than later.”

The Maple Leafs are established as a yearly playoffs team but they are lacking the final pieces to make a final jump over the hump and reach the Stanley Cup Final. Curville-Lynch believes adding Kuznetsov on a cheap deal could be a strategic move worth considering ahead of 2024-25.

Evgeni Kuznetsov’s Contract Termination

The 2023-24 season was challenging for Kuznetsov. He joined the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program after the NHL All-Star Break. Kuznetsov then requested a trade from the Capitals, which was granted by the franchise shortly after.

The Washington Capitals traded Kuznetsov to the Carolina Hurricanes before the 2024 trade deadline. After the season, the forward reached an agreement for the termination of his deal on July 16, first reported by Russian outlet Championat.

That initial report outlined Kuznetsov’s plan as the forward intended to return to his native country by joining the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia.

According to Championat, Kuznetsov has signed a four-year deal with SKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL. The player’s agent, Shumi Babayev, told the outlet on July 15 otherwise. He indicated that the player had not signed any contract with SKA at the time.

“Everything is possible, but it is too early to talk about the return of Evgeny Kuznetsov to Russia. It’s not even clear why this information came out because he has another year left on his contract with Carolina. But there was interest from SKA,” Babayev said. “I would be glad if Evgeny comes back, he will strengthen the KHL and he will be a star in the league, but it’s too early to say that he will return to SKA or some other team. We are friends and communicate all the time. He is hungry for hockey and wants to enjoy the game.”

Kuznetsov has played 251 games in the KHL combining regular- and post-season outings while scoring 78 goals and assisting 89 for 167 total points. The Russian winger played 63 games in 2024, scoring 8 goals and assisting 16 for 24 total points. He added 4 goals and 2 assists in 10 postseason games.

Kuznetsov Leaves Door Open for NHL Return

In an unexpected turn of events, Kuznetsov could reconsider returning to the NHL next season instead of moving to Russia, according to his agent.

In an interview published on July 23, Babayev told Russian outlet RB Sport that as many as 15 NHL teams have shown interest in signing Kuznetsov following the termination of his contract.

“There is still interest in Evgeny Kuznetsov from 15 NHL clubs,” Babayev said. “He has not made a final decision yet. Most likely, he is moving towards playing in the KHL. The man wants to play hockey and have fun, be useful and win. There are many factors here.

“He just wants to play hockey and to be trusted. He still has many years left in him. Kuznetsov is in good physical shape and has not even said his penultimate word in hockey. It is strange to say that he chose to play Russian hockey and not North American. Many teams overseas are now playing Soviet hockey—look at the speed, the passes. It’s just that if there was interest in the clubs that are counting on him and where he can show his best qualities, he would consider them the same way.”

Judging by those comments, the Maple Leafs or any other NHL team could still convince him to stay in the NHL. They’d add a player with a loaded resume and poised to help in any possible way during the final years of his career.

For what’s worth, Kuznetsov (32 years old) has 11 seasons of NHL play under his belt. He has racked up 575 points in 743 games. Kuznetsov, moreover, could have easily won the Conn Smythe trophy during the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup victory. He scored 32 points in those playoffs while hoisting the cup.