RALEIGH, NC. - The Carolina Hurricanes placed forward Evgeny Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination on Wednesday.
Kuznetsov, 32, was acquired by the Canes on March 8 from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft. Washington retained 50% of his salary as a part of the deal.
"Ultimately both sides agreed this was the best course of action for both the player and the team," Canes General Manager Eric Tulsky said to Hurricanes.com. "We thank Evgeny for his time with the team and wish him and his family the best."
Playing in 20 regular season games with Carolina, Kuznetsov produced two goals and five assists for a total of seven points. In the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he had four goals and two assists for a total of six points in 10 games.
The Chelyabinsk, Russia native had one season remaining on his contract, carrying an AAV (average annual value) of $3.9M for the Canes following Washington's retained salary.