Hurricanes place Evgeny Kuznetsov on waivers, Capitals get 4 million back on cap

Evgeny Kuznetsov's tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes and his overall time in the National Hockey League appears to be concluding on Wednesday. According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the Hurricanes will place Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers this afternoon to terminate the final year of his contract.

This contract termination move will significantly benefit the Washington Capitals, who traded Kuznetsov to Carolina ahead of the deadline in March while retaining 50% of his remaining salary. By terminating Kuznetsov's contract, the Capitals will gain an additional $3.9 million in cap space.

This move follows earlier reports that Kuznetsov will be signing a four-year contract with KHL club SKA St. Petersburg once his NHL contract is terminated.

Kuznetsov, 32, spent 11 seasons in the NHL with Washington and Carolina. During his time in the league, he registered 575 points (173 goals, 402 assists) and 394 penalty minutes in 743 games. He also added 73 points in 97 playoff games and was a crucial part of the Capitals' Stanley Cup-winning team in 2018.

As Kuznetsov transitions back to Russia to continue his career with SKA St. Petersburg, his departure marks the end of a significant chapter in his professional hockey journey, leaving behind a notable legacy in the NHL.

Source: Blade of Steel
Carolina Hurricanes place Evgeny Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers