The dog days of summer are here around the hockey world. The Carolina Hurricanes have been quiet but with the NHL arbitration dates being released and beginning at the end of the week, the news will start to pick up around the league. However, reports broke that new Canes legend, Evgeny Kuznetsov was heading to Russia.
Kuznetsov was acquired at the trade deadline by the Canes in exchange for a 2025 3rd round draft choice. The Washington Capitals also retained 50% of his contract. The 32-year-old was set to make $3.9 million towards the salary cap in the final year of his contract.
Although nothing is official, it appears that Kuzentsov's final year on his contract will be terminated and he will head to the KHL to play for SKA Saint Petersburg on a 4-year contract. Kuznetsov's agent was not so quick to confirm this news and is refuting the deal.
Kuznetsov had 11 solid seasons in the league and won a Stanley Cup with Washington. He will finish with 575 points and 173 goals. He had 2 goals and 5 assists with the Canes.
However long it takes to solve this issue, it is likely the end of the line for Kuznetsov in the NHL and with Carolina. It was a fun 20 games plus playoffs in Raleigh as "the Eagle" had many memorable goals and celebrations. Ultimately this is a huge win for the organization.
The roster is reshaping under new general manager, Eric Tulsky and many core players have exited with the youth looking to lead this team into the next season and beyond. The additions have strengthed holes in the lineup but having more cap space to sign the RFA's and more is just what this organization needs right now.
This roster is talented and can likely compete for the Stanley Cup but it will need extra pieces and short leashes on some players. The salary cap flexibility will be necessary, not only for this summer but heading into next spring for the trade deadline. If this team is in line to compete for another division title and has aspirations of a Stanley Cup run, the trade deadline will provide Tulsky a chance to add talent that is unavailable or too expensive this summer after a free-agent frenzy.
Currently, the Canes have $11,681,667 available in salary cap space with RFA's Seth Jarvis, Martin Necas, and Jack Drury needing new contracts. The additional $3.9 in cap space would be vital to bringing the three back and having space for additional acquisitions to help round out the forwards.
Between Jarvis and Necas, they will command close to $14 million alone. This makes things tight and leaves little wiggle room to improve the roster from outside the organization. Without the subtraction of Kuznetsov's contract, it would have been an even taller task to bring back the RFA's.