Former Capital Kuznetsov Returns to KHL with SKA St. Petersburg

After his remaining NHL contract with the Carolina Hurricanes was terminated earlier this month and speculation appeared of a potential return to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), forward Evgeny Kuznetsov has signed a four-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg. The former Washington Capital will be playing in the league he grew his game in before coming to D.C. back in 2013-14. The 32-year-old last played in the KHL for Traktor Chelyabinsk in 2013-14. During the previous five seasons he played there, he posted the following offensive stats:

• 2009-10: two goals and seven assists for nine points in 35 games
• 2010-11: 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points in 44 games
• 2011-12: 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 49 games
• 2012-13: 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 51 games
• 2013-14: eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 31 games

Kuznetsov also appeared in 25 postseason games for Traktor in 2012-13. During that run, he accumulated five goals and six assists for 11 points.

NHL Players Who Have Been on SKA St. Petersburg

The SKA St. Petersburg hockey club has had many famous talents suit up for them over the years. After 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame forward and Detroit Red Wings legend Pavel Datsyuk left the NHL following the 2015-16 season, he signed with the KHL team and played for them for three seasons. Former Atlanta Thrasher and New Jersey Devil superstar Ilya Kovalchuk spent five campaigns with the club in between his stints in the NHL. He put up solid numbers for them, and was a key part of them winning two Gagarin Cup championships in 2015 and 2017. While with the team between 2013-14 and 2017-18, Kovalchuk put up the following:

• 2013-14: 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points in 45 games
• 2014-15: 25 goals and 30 assists for 55 points in 54 games
• 2015-16: 16 goals and 33 assists for 49 points in 50 games
• 2016-17: 32 goals and 46 assists for 78 points in 60 games
• 2017-18: 31 goals and 32 assists for 63 points in 53 games

Kovalchuk also produced 19 points in 22 playoff games on that 2015 Cup run (eight goals and 11 assists), while he registered nine points in 18 games for the 2017 championship run (six goals and three assists).

Some other notable former and current NHL players who also donned the SKA sweater include Sergei Bobrovsky, Darius Kasparaitis, Andrei Kuzmenko, Evgeni Nabokov, Petr Prucha, Maxim Afinogenov, Artemi Panarin, and Nikita Gusev among others. One of the most recent players who made the jump on the other side from SKA to the NHL was seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft to the Philadelphia Flyers, Matvei Michkov.

What Kuznetsov Accomplished in the NHL

Kuznetsov leaves the NHL having played in 743 games. In that time, he tallied 173 goals and provided 402 assists for a total of 575 points. In the NHL postseason, he also accrued 33 goals and 40 assists for 73 points in 97 games. He was a significant factor on the ice in the Washington Capitals making it all the way to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, and winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in the history of the organization. He also represented the Capitals twice in the NHL All-Star Game in 2016 and 2022. He had been traded by former Capitals GM Brian MacLellan during this past season to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a third round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. Washington also retained half of his contract.

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) celebrates scoring during a shootout of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in Washington. The Capitals won 5-4. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

While his time with the Capitals and the NHL is over for now, Kuznetsov will always be one of the best to ever suit up for the club in D.C. What he accomplished in the league individually and for Washington as a team will never be forgotten. So many talented players on that 2018 Stanley Cup-winning roster deserve credit for getting the franchise over the hump in the postseason. Kuznetsov is one of the first ones along with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, TJ Oshie, and Braden Holtby that deserve to be honored for that massive accomplishment for the organization. Kuznetsov is one of the best offensive Capitals in team history statistically, and it will be well-deserved once he retires from the game and the team throws a special night to honor everything he did for them.