NEWARK, N.J. -- Evgeny Kuznetsov had a lot to be thankful for upon his return to the big stage.
It was only 34 days ago that Kuznetsov entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program to get the help he needed in order to give himself another chance at the game he loves. The Carolina Hurricanes provided him that opportunity when they acquired him in a trade with the Washington Capitals on Friday.
Kuznetsov made his Hurricanes debut in a 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Saturday.
The 31-year-old forward didn't score, but he was plus-1, had three shots on goal and went 5-for-9 on face-offs in 13:00 of ice time.
"I haven't had the opportunity to even sit down and talk with my wife and fully tell her (the) story," Kuznetsov said. "I'm trying to focus day by day. Playing hockey is huge. Unfortunately, I had to get traded, but it's all for a good cause. I'm happy here and I'm going to do what's best for the team."
Kuznetsov made quite an impression upon his new teammates and coach Rod Brind'Amour.
"I knew he was a great player, but the passing skills ... I didn't know he was that good," Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi said. "I just felt he created something out of nothing. It was awesome."
Brind'Amour said: "For a guy who hasn't played in a while, he made some real nice plays. Especially early. There were a couple backdoor tap-ins we just missed off his plays. He actually missed a tap-in, too. For a guy who hasn't played in a long time, he definitely was impactful."
Kuznetsov was waived by the Capitals on March 2 and reported to Hershey of the American Hockey League after going unclaimed. Earlier that day, he was cleared to resume practicing and entered the follow-up care phase of the player assistance program.
He had a proud smile and, unprovoked, spoke candidly not just about hockey, but about life after his first win with Carolina.
"I'm just so grateful to be here," Kuznetsov said. "I don't take anything for granted anymore; 10 days ago I was in a different spot. I was home, then on waivers, then went to Hershey, on a bus, and then had to fly here yesterday.
"You just got to believe. For those people that are struggling outside with motivation or whatever it is, just accept the reality, work hard, and just believe. You got to believe. You've got to find motivation in life and do it for those closest to you, and things will get better."
Kuznetsov was acquired to provide the Hurricanes with some offensive jump down the stretch and in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the 2018 playoffs, he led the NHL with 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 24 games to help Washington win the Stanley Cup.
He has been inconsistent since then and had just 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 43 games with the Capitals this season. The Hurricanes sent a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Capitals, who are retaining 50 percent of the remaining salary on his contract. Kuznetsov has one season remaining after this one on an eight-year, $62.4 million contract ($7.8 million average annual value) he signed with Washington on July 2, 2017.
"There are a lot of young guys on this team so it's exciting and I feel like they all compete hard, they have skill," Kuznetsov said. "My job is just fill in and do whatever is best for the team. I just don't want to mess up anything. I don't want to make things worse, but just keep pushing every day. And, like I said, don't take anything for granted."
Selected in the first round (No. 26) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Kuznetsov had 568 points (171 goals, 397 assists) in 723 regular-season games for the Capitals, including four seasons of at least 20 goals. He has 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists) in 87 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"I want to fill in, understand and want to help the team win any way I can," Kuznetsov said. "I feel I understand what the coaches want from me. They want me to be me. They want me to create, to make those passes, so it's kind of nice to hear that. I have to understand that there is a right moment in the game (to make those passes)."
Brind'Amour wasn't surprised with how well his newest addition played.
"Talented players just know how to play," he said. "I mean, they just get it. So you can stick them in any system and he didn't know anything about what we were doing, but he just knows how to play. Hopefully he can continue that."
