BREAKING - Capitals Top Player Requests a Trade, Refusing to Be in The Rebuild

PUBLICATION

Sam Walker
March 27, 2023 (1:41 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

A report from Match TV has indicated that Washington Capitals player Evgeny Kuznetsov has requested a trade from the team. This is not the first time Kuznetsov has expressed interest in being traded, as he made a similar request two years prior.

On Friday, the North American media reported that Washington could trade Kuznetsov in the offseason. However, as it became known to Match TV, Kuznetsov himself has been asking the Capitals for an exchange for the second year through his agent. Previously, the capital club was not ready for this."

There is a reason for this trade request, it appears that the relationship between Kuznetsov and the Capitals has deteriorated. It was reported that the Captials explored the possibility of trading Kuznetsov during the 2021 offseason because he began to annoy some of the members of the Capitals.

It was added by Elliotte Friedman, a reporter for Sportsnet, that Kuznetsov and Samsonov were late for a team meeting, which caused the Capitals to lose more patience with him.

Brian MacLellan, the GM for the Capitals, did not deny these reports, stating that:

"I think we're always open to trading people if it makes sense for what's going on if it makes our team better,» MacLellan said in 2021. «I don't think anybody's off the table. We're not going to trade Ovi or Backy, those types of people, but you have to be open on anything. So we would talk to anybody about any player.»

With two years remaining on his contract that carries a $7.8 million cap hit, Evgeny Kuznetsov has requested a trade from the Washington Capitals. However, Kuznetsov's modified no-trade clause allows him to submit a 10-team no-trade list.

This season, Kuznetsov's role with the Capitals has decreased, and he has been moved to the second line while Dylan Strome has taken his place on the first line. Furthermore, Kuznetsov's stats have plummeted since his near point-per-game performance in the 2021-2022 season, where he recorded 78 points in 79 games. The Capitals' current season has been disappointing, and they are set to miss the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

Kuznetsov has also faced several off-ice issues, including reports for drug use and a team-levied suspension for misconduct.

While it appears that both parties want a trade, the question remains as to which team will be willing to take on Kuznetsov and his contract.

Source: HockeyPatrol.com