After a year away from the NHL, longtime Capitals star center Evgeny Kuznetsov could already be making his way back to North America.
Sammi Silber of The Hockey News broke the story on Friday, revealing that the 33-year-old is closing in on a decision regarding his playing future with two teams left in the mix.
According to Kuznetsov’s agent, the former Caps center is closing in on a decision for the upcoming season:https://t.co/GUSSvNhpi9
— Sammi Silber 🏒 (@sammisilber) September 6, 2025
Kuznetsov has been training this summer in preparation to return in 2025-26. He spent the 2024-25 season with St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL, producing 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 39 games.
The skilled center struggled in his last few NHL seasons, though he appears motivated to get back to his two-time All-Star form, and the talent could be a worthy flier for some teams to gamble on.
Who are those teams? Let’s dive into it.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are always looking for help down the middle. It’s been a long time since the Wild have had a legit number one centerman, and while Kuznetsov won’t be that, he has the potential to be a nice point-producing option in the middle of the lineup. With over $4 million in available cap space, general manager Bill Guerin can certainly make it work.
Kuznetsov might also lean towards Minnesota, given all of the fellow Russians on the team, including Kirill Kaprizov and Vladimir Tarasenko, among others.
Montreal Canadiens
This one’s been rumored before, and it makes sense. The Montreal Canadiens are searching for help at the center position behind Nick Suzuki, and signing Evgeny Kuznetsov would be a much cheaper alternative than making another trade. Like Minnesota, Montreal has more than $4 million in cap space at its disposal.
Not to mention the connection Kuznetsov has with rookie sensation Ivan Demidov from their time spent as teammates and linemates in St. Petersburg last season.
Vancouver Canucks
The third and final landing spot is the Vancouver Canucks. Ever since trading away J.T. Miller, the Canucks have been thin at center. Filip Chytil was a nice acquisition, but his health has been an issue, and even with that, more help is needed. Cap space would be no issue with $3+ million still available for general manager Patrik Allvin.
Vancouver could be the best place for Kuznetsov to earn the most opportunities while still on a team that is expected to be competitive in the Pacific Division.
