Former NHLer Evgeny Kuznetsov finally has a new contract after terminating his deal with the Carolina Hurricanes in recent weeks. It includes an interesting salary
After weeks of speculation, Evgeny Kuznetsov's next move has finally been revealed. As had been expected, he's signed a deal with SKA St. Petersburg, a powerhouse with the KHL in his home country of Russia. The deal is long-term, and the salary reportedly mimics NHL superstar Sidney Crosby.
"SKA will make a very nice move, which is sometimes practiced in the NHL - for example, Sidney Crosby signed a contract with an average salary of $8.7 million per year in honor of the fact that he plays under number 87. Evgeny Kuznetsov will receive a four-year contract in St. Petersburg, the average salary of which will be 92 million rubles."
Kuznetsov, a two-time NHL All-Star and one-time Stanley Cup champion (2018), asked for his contract with the Carolina Hurricanes to be terminated in mid-July. Originally signed with the Washington Capitals, his deal had one year remaining on it, which meant Kuznetsov walked away from around $7 million in salary for the 2024-25 season. He had already received a $1 million dollar signing bonus, which was due on July 1 of each year of the contract.
There are very high hopes for SKA St. Peterburg in the KHL this season, and that was even before adding Kuznetsov. This is the team that loaned top prospect Matvei Michkov, draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, to another club last season as there was simply no room for him in the lineup. Before coming to the Washington Capitals, Kuznetsov had played for the KHL's Chelyabinsk Traktor, is hometown team.