Evgeny Kuznetsov takes a shot at the media in Toronto

When meeting with reporters after the morning skate ahead of their game against the Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was talking about his former teammate and friend Ilya Samsonov and when doing so, took a shot at the Toronto media.

Kuznetsov told reporters that they've been so hard on players in Toronto and he's glad that Samsonov doesn't speak English well enough to understand what they're saying.

It's nice to see Kuznetsov stand up for his friend, Ilya Samsonov, who's had a tough season so far. Kuznetsov understands how Samsonov feels, especially when it comes to being placed on waivers and the emotions that come with that. For the 31-year-old Kuznetsov, he's had a difficult season too and has spent time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, was placed on waivers and eventually traded by the Capitals to the Hurricanes before the deadline.

As mentioned, Toronto is a tough market to play in and dealing with the media is not easy, especially when you're going through a slump or a rough season. For Samsonov, he's done his best to drown out the noise and since returning from his week-long stint in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, has been solid for the Maple Leafs and despite an injury scare at the morning skate, will play on Saturday night against the Hurricanes.

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