The Capitals center could make his AHL debut as soon as Friday.
The Washington Capitals could see Evgeny Kuznetsov return to game action and make his AHL debut as soon as Friday, as he has made the trip to Charlotte with the Hershey Bears.
Kuznetsov, who reported to Hershey and practiced on Tuesday, was one of the Bears pictured boarding the bus for the team's upcoming road tilt with the Checkers. It was Kuznetsov's first time on the ice in over a month as he entered the follow-up care phase of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
The 31-year-old is in the AHL after being waived by the Capitals over the weekend, the first step in the process to accommodate his request for a change in scenery. Kuznetsov cleared and was sent to Hershey on Sunday, and on Tuesday, he made a positive first impression with the Bears.
Kuznetsov was in high spirits as he skated with the team's extras, and head coach Todd Nelson was impressed by his positive demeanor and attitude.
"He came in here today with so much energy, it was unbelievable," Nelson said after Tuesday's skate, adding, "We just had a short conversation saying, 'You know what, you’re no different than anybody else. You're just gonna come here and we’re gonna try to help you get back to the National Hockey League.’ We’re going to do our jobs as coaches to try to help you. He’s excited, he’s excited to be back on the ice.”
Kuznetsov appeared in 43 games for the Capitals this season, struggling to find consistency while putting up six goals and 11 assists.
The Russian needs to be cleared for game action by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program before he can play, but travelling indicates a step in the right direction.