Washington Capitals Grades: Top 3 duds of 2021 season
#1 Evgeny Kuznetsov
The biggest question surrounding the Capitals this summer, well at least one of them, is what the future will hold for Evgeny Kuznetsov. One of our old writers wrote a thing last year about if the Caps should trade him and it received a lot of backlash even in my mentions. Now it’s one of those most popular rumors.
Kuznetsov’s nine goals over 41 games are a career low over the course of a full season. He also finished with 20 assists for 29 points. Injuries weren’t the issues. Inconsistency, only one good spurt, and two stints on the COVID-19 protocols list at the beginning and the end of season rolled the eyes of Caps brass from the top down.
His inconsistency isn’t the only valid argument about moving him. His $7.8 million cap hit can free up cap space for bigger free agent signings or to extend Alex Ovechkin. Paying that kind of money for an inconsistent player rather than the 2018 playoff points leader is alarming.
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If the Caps don’t trade Kuzy or the Seattle Kraken doesn’t pick him up when they expose him, or they don’t expose him at all, expect Kuznetsov to face a lot of expectations as the Caps will expect better from him both on and off the ice. Kuznetsov was late to a team function his second time on the COVId list. He’s gotta clean up his act if he’s still around.