Kuznetsov making impact after trade to Hurricanes
NEWARK >> Despite all of the seemingly endless hype of the National Hockey League’s annual trade deadline, it was one of the deals that went more under the radar that’s already making one of the biggest impacts.
Two-time NHL All-Star Evgeny Kuznetsov was traded by the Washington Capitals to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2025 third-round pick, a meager return more indicative of how far the 31-yearold forward had seemingly fallen than anything else.
Statistically, he hadn’t played up to his standards over the past two seasons, and then suddenly entered the NHL Player Assistance Program on Feb. 5, and was waived by the Capitals mere hours after being cleared to return on March 2, with the intent to have him report to the minors with their American Hockey League affiliate in Hershey.
Instead, the trade cleared the way for him to return to the game’s highest level, and he made his debut with the Hurricanes in their 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Saturday afternoon, looking like he’d never missed a beat in exactly 13 minutes worth of ice time.
“I didn’t want to overdo it,” Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the game. “He looked like he could have played more, for sure, but you have to be careful with that because he’s probably running on adrenaline here a little bit trying to impress his new club. … Talented players just know how to play. They just get it. So you can stick him into any system, and he doesn’t know anything about what we’re doing, but he just knows how to play. Hopefully he can continue that.”
Kuznetsov told reporters after the game that he felt like he’s been “on the run” over the past week or so, and was grateful for the opportunity to return to the league.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to even sit down and talk with my wife fully and tell her the story and all that stuff, he said. “Just trying to focus dayby-day. Like I said, this was just fantastic for me. Playing hockey is huge and unfortunately I had to get traded and stuff like that, but it’s all for a good cause, I’m happy here and I’m going to do what’s best for the team.”
RANGERS BIG ADDITIONS POP EARLY
There were many eyes on the New York Rangers heading into the deadline, with the Blueshirts certainly a contender to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in a decade.
It was a more modest haul for general manager Chris Drury, who didn’t bring in any of the supposed “big names” on the market but acquired forward Alex Wennberg from the Seattle Kraken, forward Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets and depth defenseman Chad Ruhwedel from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
With the Rangers set to host the New Jersey Devils on Monday night, all but Ruhwedel, who was scratched, have one game with their new club under their belts as they debuted in Manhattan on Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues.
Roslovic, featured on the first line, recorded two shots on goal in 16:21 worth of ice time, while Wennberg played 15:12 and tallied an assist in his debut.
“First game, I’m sure they had a lot of thoughts in their head,” said veteran forward Jimmy Vesey. “They probably had a lot of information from the coaches, but I thought everybody fit in nicely and it was just a good, solid team effort.”