Kuznetsov searches for stability

Evgeny Kuznetsov is still seeking stability in his career but whether that leads him to the NHL or staying in the KHL is yet to be seen.

The Washington Capitals prospect has said he wants to come to North America once the current season concludes, but is willing to stay in Russia if he gets the right offer.

“If I get offered a five- to seven-year-long deal, I’ll think long and hard,” he said of a KHL offer. “I’m ready to confirm it again. A long contract guarantees stability. I want to feel confident.”

But Kuznetsov also wants to test his skills in the NHL. “I really want to go to the NHL after the end of the season. And I don’t think it’s gonna change…I want to play across the pond, feel the level of that league. It’s not about salary,” he told Alexey Shevchenko of KHL Fanzone.

Kuznetsov was drafted by the Caps 26th overall in the 2010 NHL draft. He has spent the last five years playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL, where he has recorded 126 points, 57 of them being goals, in 184 games.

However, the chances of getting a five year deal are highly unlikely; only four players in KHL history have received five year or longer deals.

KHL League News:

For the October 15th-21st period, the following players were named players of the week:

Best goaltender was Ivan Lisutin (Vityaz), who in two games recorded a save percentage of 97.01 and a goals against average of 0.96;

Best defenseman was Brent Sopel (Salavat Yulaev), who had three points (0+3) from three victorious games and finished the week with a +4;

Best forward for the second week running was Danis Zaripov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk), with six points (4+2) from three outings;

Best rookie was Dynamo Moscow’s teenage defenseman Gleb Koryagin, who made two appearances, earning one point (0+1) and a +3.

Veteran NHL defensemen Mike Commodore has signed a deal with Admiral Vladivostok. The 33-year-old played 537 games in the NHL, recording 106 points. He won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. Admiral are in their first season in the KHL and are currently in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as they sit eighth in the standings.

Medvescak Zagreb defensemen Steve Montador has had to leave the club with immediate affect due to lingering concussion symptoms. Montador was initially diagnosed with a concussion in March of 2012 while playing for the Chicago Blackhawks. In 571 NHL games, Montador had 131 points. He had three assists in 11 games for Medvescak before taking a leave of absence. 

“This injury reminded me of how important it is to think of your health in the long term, and not just for the time being. I’ve been in this situation before, so I’ve tasted it all,” he told the Medvescak  website. “I know that I have to be careful and that this step is necessary. That said, I knew that because of the injury I wouldn’t be able to offer as much on the ice as I would want to, and that I’m not at a hundred percent.”

Ak Bars Kazan defensemen Grigory Panin has been suspeneded for 11 games for delivering a deliberate shot to the head of Medvescak forward Matt Murley. He is eligible to return on November 24th against Admiral. 

"I regret profoundly and am uptight because of the episode that happened in the game. I do not want to make excuses, I just would like to say that I played unaware in this episode and I could not predict all aftereffects,” he told Ak Bars website. “This is hockey, it happens. I have not an intention or a wish to injure my opponent. Right after the episode I left the ice and came to the Medvescak's locker room to explain myself to Matt Murley, I sincerely apologized and he lended his ears and accepted it. I would like to wish Matt Murley an early recovery and coming back on the ice.”

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