The Toronto Maple Leafs were rumored to be the top destination for free agent center Evgeny Kuznetsov. The 33-year-old had been planning an NHL comeback after being cut by the Washington Capitals.
He last played for the Caps and Carolina Hurricanes during the 2023-24 season, but failed to land an NHL contract last season. Kuznetsov spent the 2024-25 season in Russia with the SKA St. Petersburg. He had a decent season, scoring 12 goals and 37 points in 39 games.
The talk this season was that Kuznetsov could return to the NHL, with the Maple Leafs being the frontrunner to land the former Stanley Cup champ. A report by RG Media from September 27 placed the Leafs and the Florida Panthers as the interested parties in Kuznetsov.
According to the report, the Russian forward was holding his breath for the Maple Leafs or Panthers to make up their minds on an offer. There’s no indication such an offer was ever on the table.
So, Kuznetsov signed a one-year deal with the Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl reported.
The deal removes Kuznetsov from consideration for this season. Depending on how things go for him in Russia, the NHL could still be a possibility. If he can prove he’s healthy and productive, Kuznetsov could still translate that performance into a deal from a club like the Maple Leafs.
Maple Leafs Don’t Have Room for Kuznetsov
The Maple Leafs don’t really have much room for Evgeny Kuznetsov in their crowded forward group. Toronto has four centers earmarked for this season. As such, there wasn’t much room for the Russian center. Unless someone went down with an injury, playing time would have been scarce for Kuznetsov.
Even if the Maple Leafs did squeeze him into the lineup, it would be in a bottom-six role. However, Kuznetsov might not have been the best option as a 3C or 4C, especially considering the Leafs don’t have much cap space.
Furthermore, the Toronto would have likely offered an incentive-laden one-year deal. If Kuznetsov was seeking more job security, that’s something that might not have appealed to him. So, passing on the NHL this season might have been Kuznetsov’s best bet.
A good year in the KHL might draw more interest from other clubs looking for center depth moving forward.
Kuznetsov Not Good Fit for Panthers Despite Need
The Florida Panthers suddenly found themselves in need of center depth following Aleksander Barkov’s disappointing, season-ending injury. But the fact of the matter is that Evgeny Kuznetsov wasn’t going to be the solution for the Panthers’ needs.
Ideally, Florida, like the Maple Leafs, would have landed a top-six center who could at least play a 2C role. That wasn’t going to be the case with Kuznetsov. He would have likely been a bottom-six forward. That situation might not have appealed to the Russian star.
Additionally, the Panthers are over the cap at the moment. While they could put Barkov’s cap hit on LTIR and free up room, the Panthers would have preferred to do so for a forward who would likely fill a major void.
Adding another bottom-six depth center might not be in the Panthers’ plans at this moment. So, passing on Kuznetsov could have been a tough, but necessary choice.
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