Washington Capitals: Five Teams That Could Trade For Evgeny Kuznetsov

The Washington Capitals have a lot of questions to answer this off-season. There may be no bigger question for this team than what will happen with star center Evgeny Kuznetsov. It’s not very often top six centers become available via trade. However, after several inconsistent seasons, and seemingly more and more off ice issues it seems Washington is at least willing to talk trades for the highly skilled centerman.

Highly skilled is a thing he certainly is. Kuznetsov broke out as a top line guy back in 2015-16 where he scored 20 goals and added 57 assists for 77 points. Two years later he recorded career highs in goals and points with 27 goals and 56 assists for 83 points. The next season wasn’t half bad either even though the numbers were down. He had 72 points in 76 games played.

On top of all of those numbers Kuznetsov showed what he can truly do in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. You could have made a solid argument that he could have/should have won the Conn Smythe trophy for playoff MVP that year. It went to Alex Ovechkin instead who had five less points, but had 15 goals in 24 games. Kuznetsov ended up with 12 goals and 32 points in 24 games.

There were plenty of reasons the Capitals finally broke through and won the Stanley Cup in 2018, but to me the biggest reason was Kuznetsov’s performance. You can’t tell me it was a coincidence that the one year the Capitals get a performance like that from someone other than Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom that they win the Cup.

In my opinion, it’s been since that playoff run that Kuznetsov has had some severe consistency issues. These days it’s way more likely you won’t notice the Capitals top line center than him putting in a great effort. That’s been something that has bitten the Capitals three playoffs in a row.

To be fair to Kuznetsov it’s not just him that has put forward poor efforts in recent playoffs. At the same time most players on this team don’t make the money he does which makes him the bigger issue.

To go along with his on ice issues he has had some off ice problems as well. He was suspended in 2019 after due to cocaine use. This past season he was also forced to miss time twice thanks to COVID-19 protocols.

If people are confused as to why this player could be on the trade block just show them all of that. Right now he’s unreliable. That’s why Kuznetsov could find himself out of D.C. this off-season.

If the Capitals did try to trade him, which teams could end up trading for the 29-year-old? Here are five teams that I think could make a run at him.

Before we show the teams I want to point out a few things. It should probably be obvious, but I have no inside knowledge here. This list is purely on rumors around the NHL and teams that seemingly want to make a move for a center this summer.

Kuznetsov also has a 15 team no trade list. I’m going to do something I don’t advise doing and trying to jump into someone else’s head. Judging him, I don’t think he would accept a trade to a place like Columbus or Arizona. No offense to those cities but they don’t seem to attract players like Kuznetsov. This list will be a lot of “flashy” cities with a possibility of success.

I’d also like to point out I don’t think Kuznetsov gets moved. I don’t think the Capitals will get what they want in a trade and trading him likely opens up a hole they won’t be able to fill.

I don’t do the trade proposal game either. I don’t pretend to know what teams want, need or what someone’s value is. This list will basically be teams that have been in the news that could want a top line center.

With all of that being said, here are the five teams I can see possibly being interested in Kuznetsov.

Vegas Golden Knights

I’m starting this list with a team that has a bit of a asterisk in front of it. As of writing this Vegas dropped conference finals or semi finals to the Montreal Canadiens, whatever you want to call the final four this year. This is a team that has had trouble scoring in several series.

This is also a team whos top line center is currently former Capital Chandler Stephenson. No disrespect to Chandler but a team who has had trouble offensively and is apparently lacking center depth maybe they will want to make a move for a top line center.

Something that will be a recurring theme here is mentioning Jack Eichel. I have heard several rumors or more like opinions that if Vegas does not win the Stanley Cup this season they could be in on Eichel. Basically because since they have come into the league they have been in on every big name available.

If they can’t get the grand prize of Eichel this season maybe they go cheaper. Both in contract and in asking price in Kuznetsov. Instead of going after Eichel and his $10m cap hit and having to give up a ton of assets to get him maybe they go to the Capitals and try to get Kuzy for $7.8m and he will be considerably cheaper to get.

Las Vegas is also one heck of a city. Most guys will have no issue of going to play there. On top of being a fun city it’s a Cup contender every year.

They could use a top line center and I tend to think Kuznetsov wouldn’t mind playing there. But after losing in the semi finals look for Vegas to go after a top line center.

Montreal Canadiens

Now that we’ve talked about one of the teams in the semi’s lets talk about the teams Vegas was playing. Montreal has had a bit of a miraculous run to this point. The fourth place team in the North division was down 3-1 to the Maple Leafs in the first round before rallying to win in seven games.

They then beat up the Winnipeg Jets 4-0 and here we are, they’re heading to the Stanley Cup Final.

This team shut down the offense from Toronto and did the same thing to Vegas. This team is winning thanks to defense and goaltending. They don’t need much if any help on defense. Thanks to this run I don’t think it’s out of the question they try to make a move for a bigger offensive player.

Right now their center depth looks like this, Danault, Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Staal. Danault, Kotkaniemi and Staal are all without contracts next season. We’ll see how that plays out in the summer.

While they are playing well this postseason there is no center on this team that has the talent that Kuznetsov has. Imagine a top line of Tyler Toffoli, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Cole Caufield. Or maybe swap Toffoli with Jonathan Drouin and put Toffoli on the second line?

If I was making this list before the playoffs started I doubt I put the Canadiens on it. Maybe after a run like they are on they think they are closer to contending? If that’s the case maybe they try to go after an Eichel or Kuznetsov.

Also who wouldn’t want to play in Montreal in front of those fans? However, if Kuznetsov were to put in his lack of efforts there that would not fly as well as it is in Washington. While Montreal is an attractive city, he would have to put in work there. But I’d have to imagine Montreal wouldn’t be on his 15 team no trade list.

New York Rangers

I would say this one is maybe a little unlikely for an obvious reason. The Rangers are in the Capitals division. If you’re going to trade a player of Kuznetsov’s talents and even potential you don’t do it within the division.

But it is New York City and I’d bet Kuznetsov wouldn’t mind going to play for the Blueshirts in Madison Square Garden.

When you talk about big trades happening this summer the Rangers seem to be at the top of the list when it comes to landing Jack Eichel. Even if those rumors have seemed to cool in recent days or weeks I don’t think you can completely put those rumors down until Eichel has a new home.

If you have been in the Eichel conversation for as many weeks or months as the Rangers have been it’s going to be hard to swallow for everybody if they come away empty handed. If they can’t get him to NYC maybe they go after Kuznetsov?

Like Montreal, who wouldn’t want to play for the Rangers? I don’t know how much of an impact this will have on Kuznetsov but the Rangers also have some pretty talented Russians on the roster as well. I’m sure he’d be fine with playing with Artemi Panarin and maybe Pavel Buchnevich and Igor Shesterkin, the latter two needed new contracts as RFA’s.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings seem like a team who are anxious to get back into Cup contention. If you need proof of that just look at the rumor mill and you will once again see the name of Eichel with the Kings being interested in acquiring him via trade.

As I said earlier, the recurring theme here will be if a team can’t get Eichel what’s to say they won’t go after a different top line center?

Kuznetsov will have the opportunity to play behind another top line center in LA in Anze Kopitar. If the Kings have reservations about Kuznetsov’s work ethic they could have faith in their star players in dragging him along. Will Kopitar and Drew Doughty allow this guy to lollygag around as much as he does?

I don’t know how close Quinton Byfield is to being an NHL player but if he were to play in the NHL this season  it wouldn’t be the worst thing to play third line center for a good while. The Kings could role out a top three of Kopitar, Kuznetsov and Byfield. Again, all this assuming they don’t get Eichel.

And, of course, it’s Los Angeles. The weather is great, the team has a good history and good recent history and they have good prospects which could mean quick success.