Evgeny Kuznetsov
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Yevgeny Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov (russian: Евгений Евгеньевич Кузнецов; born 19 May 1992) is a Russian professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
forward currently playing for the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). He previously played for
Traktor Chelyabinsk Traktor Chelyabinsk, also known as Traktor (russian: Трактор), is a professional ice hockey team based in Chelyabinsk, Russia. They are members of the Kharlamov Division of the Eastern Conference of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). ...
of the
Kontinental Hockey League The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs ba ...
(KHL). He has represented Russia in junior and senior level competitions on numerous occasions, winning gold medals at the
2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2011 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred to as the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships (''2011 WJHC''), was the 35th edition of the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship and was hosted by the United States. The games were played ...
, as well as at the 2012 IIHF World Championship and
2014 IIHF World Championship The 2014 IIHF World Championship was hosted by Belarus in its capital, Minsk, held from 9–25 May 2014. Sixteen national teams were competing in two venues, the Minsk-Arena and Chizhovka-Arena. It was the first time Belarus hosted the tournamen ...
. Kuznetsov won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
, leading the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
in point-scoring with 32 points, the most by any player in a single postseason since
Evgeni Malkin Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin ( rus, Евге́ний Влади́мирович Ма́лкин, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈmaɫkʲɪn; born 31 July 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of ...
in 2009. Kuznetsov is known for his bird celebration he used throughout the
2018 Stanley Cup playoffs The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs began on April 11, 2018, after the 2017–18 regular season and concluded on June 7, 2018, with the Washington Capitals winning their fir ...
, as well as the rest of his career, earning him the nickname "the Birdman."


Playing career

Kuznetsov made his professional debut in the 2009–10 season with
Traktor Chelyabinsk Traktor Chelyabinsk, also known as Traktor (russian: Трактор), is a professional ice hockey team based in Chelyabinsk, Russia. They are members of the Kharlamov Division of the Eastern Conference of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). ...
of the KHL. That season, he played 35 games, totaling eight points. After his performance for Traktor, he was ranked as the third-best European skater by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau for the
2010 NHL Entry Draft The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial re ...
, where he was eventually selected in the first round, 26th overall, by the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
. In the 2011–12 season, Kuznetsov was selected to the KHL All-Star Game. During the season, he also won the Continental Cup and bronze medals with his team. It was reported that during the 2013–14 season, Kuznetsov earned $3.8 million to play for Traktor.


Washington Capitals

On 8 March 2014, Kuznetsov signed an entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. On 25 March, he scored his first career NHL goal, which happened to be a short-handed goal, against the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
with under a minute left to tie the game; the Capitals, however, eventually lost 5–4 in the shootout. On 23 April 2015, Kuznetsov scored the first and second Stanley Cup playoff goals of his career against the New York Islanders. In the same game, he also had an assist in an eventual 5–1 Washington win. On 27 April 2015, he scored the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-finals against the Islanders in the same series, advancing the Capitals to a Conference Semi-finals match-up against the 2014–15
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
-winning
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
. During the 2015–16 season, Kuznetsov was named to his first
All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
as a replacement for
Alexander Ovechkin Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin ( rus, Александр Михайлович Овечкин, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐˈvʲetɕkʲɪn; born 17 September 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capital ...
, who pulled out due to a lower-body injury. On 2 July 2017, the Capitals re-signed Kuznetsov (a restricted free agent) to an eight-year, $62.4 million contract worth $7.8 million per season. In 24 playoff games in 2018, Kuznetsov had 12 goals and 20 assists for a total of 32 points, second only to
Evgeni Malkin Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin ( rus, Евге́ний Влади́мирович Ма́лкин, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈmaɫkʲɪn; born 31 July 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of ...
in 2009 among players in the last 25 seasons of Stanley Cup playoffs. Kuznetsov's series-clinching overtime winner in Game 6 against Pittsburgh secured the Capitals’ first berth in the Eastern Conference Finals since 1998, ending years of playoff failure against the Penguins. His four assists in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals made him only the fourth NHL player to record that many in a finals game, the first in 22 years. Kuznetsov led the league with 32 points in 24 appearances in the 2018 postseason, but lost to linemate and team captain Alex Ovechkin in the
Conn Smythe Trophy The Conn Smythe Trophy (french: Trophée Conn Smythe) is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general ma ...
competition. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association determined the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy on a 5–3–1 basis, with the final tally determined by the NHL with ten minutes remaining in Game 5 of the finals. All but two of the votes were cast for Washington Capitals players, with Kuznetsov and Ovechkin receiving inverse totals – Ovechkin took 13 first-place votes and five-second place, while Kuznetsov received five first-place votes and 13-second place. Capitals goalie Braden Holtby was the third-place choice of 16 voters. Golden Knights goalie
Marc-André Fleury Marc-André Fleury (born November 28, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) first overall by the Pittsbur ...
received the remaining two third-place votes. Kuznetsov scored a
power play goal Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...
and had three assists to power the Washington Capitals to a 5–2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in a rematch of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final at Capital One Arena on October 10, 2018. Of his performance, teammate T.J. Oshie said: "I think uznetsov isup there with the top five players in the League. He just doesn't get the recognition for some reason. But you come watch a game, there's certain players that get people out of their seats and it's a joy to watch." Kuznetsov had the primary assist on each of the two goals by team captain
Alexander Ovechkin Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin ( rus, Александр Михайлович Овечкин, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐˈvʲetɕkʲɪn; born 17 September 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capital ...
, his 610th and 611th NHL career goals, surpassing Bobby Hull on the all-time goals list. Of playing with Ovechkin, Kuznetsov said: On 14 September 2019, the NHL suspended Kuznetsov for three games for cocaine use after video surfaced on social media that showed Kuznetsov and another man sitting at a table that appeared to have lines of cocaine on it; the NHL termed the offense "inappropriate conduct."


Player profile

Kuznetsov is considered one of the most accurate passers in the game. Capitals teammate Tom Wilson says of him, "He just tells me to put my stick on the ice and he'll hit it. It's a privilege to play with him. He's one of the best at his craft." Kuznetsov has played in the shadows of fellow Russian Alexander Ovechkin, but his talent began to gain attention. Trotz considers Kuznetsov to be a highly intelligent player, saying, "Kuznetsov has an extremely high hockey IQ. He loves to study film. He sees what others don't." Teammate Lars Eller agrees: "Kuzy has a very high IQ. He’s a very smart player." Kuznetsov's stickhandling "elicits a certain awe from those who watch him most." As Capitals teammates (and staff) describe how he moves the puck on ice: Of his own approach to playing, the recognition he's getting from teammates on his talent, and his preference for fun over awards Kuznetsov says: Kuznetsov has generated controversy around his celebrations after scoring goals. His "cellies" (hockey slang for "celebrations") have most prominently included the prancing bird – and earlier the kayak, push-ups, and playing dead. Kuznetsov debuted the bird dance at the 2016 World Cup when he scored an end-to-end goal against Matt Murray of Team North America. After taking a break from the celebration, his "joyful prancing bird celebration" reappeared in the 2018 NHL post-season. Kuznetsov claims he brought back the bird because his daughter "loves that stuff." Teammate Tom Wilson loves "to see the wings come out." As he sees it, "That means he's checked in and playing with fire. If he scores a big goal like that, I’m not going to tell him he can't. Do whatever you want with your celebration." Kuznetsov "lifted" the bird dance celebration from the ''FIFA''soccer video game.


International play

Kuznetsov played for
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
at the
2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships (''2010 WJHC''), was the 34th edition of Ice Hockey World Junior Championship. The tournament was hosted by Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, from December 26, 2009, to January 5, 2010. Saskat ...
held in
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...
, Canada. He finished the tournament with two goals and was selected as the player of the game for Russia after the preliminary round game against
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
. Kuznetsov again represented Russia in the 2011 World Junior Championships in Buffalo, New York. He was the only 18-year-old on the Russian team; every other player was 19. He finished second in the tournament in scoring, with four goals and seven assists in seven games. He also had three assists in the gold medal game, in which Russia overcame a 3–0 deficit in the third period against
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
to win 5–3. Kuznetsov was named by the tournament coaches as one of the three best players on his team, and was named to the tournament all-star team by the media. He was also named the best player in the match against
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
, in which he recorded one goal and one assist. He finished tied for second in the tournament in scoring, alongside teammate
Vladimir Tarasenko Vladimir Andreyevich Tarasenko (russian: Влади́мир Андре́евич Тарасе́нко; born 13 December 1991) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hock ...
, with four goals and seven assists. Kuznetsov then served as team captain for Russia at the 2012 World Junior Championships, the third year in a row he participated in the tournament. On 29 December 2011, in a game against Latvia, Kuznetsov recorded three goals and six assists for nine points in an emphatic 14–0 win for Russia. This set a record for most points by a Russian player at the World Juniors, as well as the second-highest total in a game in the history of the tournament, one point behind
Peter Forsberg Peter Mattias Forsberg (; born 20 July 1973) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player and former assistant general manager of Modo Hockey. Nicknamed "Peter the Great" and "Foppa", Forsberg was known for his on-ice vision and physical pl ...
of Sweden, who set the record in
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...
. On 23 August 2019, the
IIHF The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF; french: Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace; german: Internationale Eishockey-Föderation) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 83 m ...
announced that it had suspended Kuznetsov for four years after testing positive for
cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...
use, retroactive to 13 June 2019. He was stripped of his 2019 World Championship bronze medal as a result.


Personal life

Kuznetsov married Anastasiya (Nastya) Kuznetsova (née Zinov'eva) in 2011 in a ceremony at
Traktor Ice Arena Traktor Ice Arena named after Valery Konsantinovich Belousov (), commonly shortened to Traktor Ice Arena, is an indoor sporting arena located in Chelyabinsk, Russia. It is used for various indoor events and is the home arena of Traktor Chelyabin ...
. The couple have two children, daughter Ecenia (born 2015) and son Fedor (born 2019). Kuznetsov had an older brother, Alexander, who was tragically killed when a May Day celebration turned violent in 2003. Evgeny was 10 years old, and has few memories of his brother. Kuznetsov is a keen football fan and an avid supporter of Liverpool F.C.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league


International


Awards and honors


References


External links

*
Profile
at Traktor Chelyabinsk website {{DEFAULTSORT:Kuznetsov, Evgeny 1992 births Living people Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk players National Hockey League All-Stars National Hockey League first-round draft picks Russian ice hockey players Russian expatriate ice hockey people Russian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Russian ice hockey centres Sportspeople from Chelyabinsk Traktor Chelyabinsk players Washington Capitals draft picks Washington Capitals players Stanley Cup champions