He was destined for an amazing career. He won a Stanley Cup, two world championships, but in recent years he has been destroying his reputation.
Photo: BRUCE BENNETT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP / Profimedia
Alexander Ovechkin and Yevgeny Kuznetsov celebrate winning the 2018 Stanley Cup.
Russian forward Yevgeny Kuznetsov was one of the best middle forwards in the world of hockey just a few years ago.
He played with Alexander Ovechkin, assisted him on many goals. They celebrated winning the Stanley Cup together when Washington beat Vegas 4-1 in the 2018 NHL Finals.
Subsequently, however, things quickly went downhill with Kuznetsov.
It all started with a 4-year sentence to represent Russia because doping commissioners found traces of cocaine in his body.
The penalty from the world federation IIHF began to apply on August 23, 2019. Kuznetsov lost the bronze medal from the 2019 WC, Russia escaped without a penalty as a team. Then, at the age of 26, he represented the choir for the last time.
As recently as 2022/2023, he played 81 matches in the pro league, but last season it was only half.
He spent more than two months in a medical assistance program run by the NHL in cooperation with the players’ association NHLPA.
It is created for hockey players who cannot handle alcohol or drugs, or who have mental problems.
According to the rules, the league does not disclose the reasons for staying in these programs, but in the case of Kuznetsov, the fans were clear. “And that he is not a first-line player,” ironically commented one of them on the social network.
Photo: ČTK / AP / Karl B DeBlaker
Kuznetsov Yevgeny Kuznetsov in Carolina Hurricanes jersey.
When Washington traded him to Carolina in the middle of last season, Ovechkin was not happy about his friend’s departure.
“It’s a sad day, he was my friend. But that’s how business is in the NHL. We don’t make exchanges, we play hockey,” he said resignedly.
There was a lot of speculation about Kuznetsov’s departure on social networks.
One of them said that the smart center was not the best example of a professional for young European players with his “exuberant” lifestyle.
His compatriot Ivan Miroshnichenko (20 years old) and Belarusian Aleksej Protas (23 years old) were mentioned by name.
But even in Carolina, Kuznetsov did not warm up for a long time. The Hurricanes announced this week that they have ended their cooperation with the 32-year-old Russian.
“We thank Yevgeny for his service to our club and wish him well in the future,” said Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky.
Kuznetsov finished playing in the best hockey league in the world, but he quickly found a new place of work. According to Russian media reports, his career should continue in the domestic KHL, where he should wear the jersey of SKA St. Petersburg.
Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
