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Evgeny Kuznetsov and SKA Saint Petersburg have mutually agreed on contract termination
Former Washington Capitals superstar Evgeny Kuznetsov and SKA Saint Petersburg have agreed to terminate his contract.
It appears that former Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov's professional hockey career has come to an abrupt end.
According to sources, KHL's SKA Saint Petersburg announced today that both the team and Kuznetsov have mutually agreed on terms for contract termination purposes.
The announcement came shortly after SKA Saint Petersburg was eliminated from the KHL playoffs, falling to Dynamo Moscow in six games.
Although it looked like Evgeny Kuznetsov was beginning to rediscover his offensive spark-- netting his first goal since February in the series-- his pro hockey career has now reached a pivotal point.
Evgeny Kuznetsov contract terminated by SKA Saint Petersburg
Evgeny Kuznetsov's NHL journey took a sharp turn last season after he was traded from the Capitals to the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline.
Rather than continuing in North America, he chose to walk away from the league altogether, signing a four year deal with SKA Saint Petersburg.
At 32 years of age, Kuznetsov faced many challenges in the NHL. His declining performance led to him being healthy scratched on several occasions, ultimately being placed on waivers thereafter.
Kuznetsov was also admitted to the NHLPA's Players Assistance Program for substance abuse issues -- signalling that a fresh start was not only necessary-- but long overdue.
Despite a fresh start, Kuznetsov's first year back in the KHL didn't go to plan as he dealt with injury. In 39 games, he put up 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points, along with 38 penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of plus-13. In six playoff games, he had a goal and two assists.
-The Hockey News
-The Hockey News
While it's unclear what lies ahead for the former Capitals legend, his career is officially on pause-- for now.
Previously on Washington Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 8 | 99 ANSWERS Evgeny Kuznetsov and SKA Saint Petersburg have mutually agreed on contract termination Do you think Evgeny Kuznetsov's career is over? | ||
| Yes | 60 | 60.6 % |
| No | 39 | 39.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
