Ex-Washington Capitals star Evgeny Kuznetsov made headlines this summer when he hinted at a potential NHL return, while also making his rounds in the local beer league. However, despite offers, he ultimately opted to stay in the KHL.

Kuznetsov told MatchTV that he had offers from NHL teams and a contract on the table, but ultimately, passed it up to sign with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

"I really wanted to play in the KHL for at least another year... because there are still unanswered questions about my play from last season. There's been a lot of talk and questions directed at me. That's why I want to play here for at least one more season," Kuznetsov said, per a DeepL translation. "And not just play, but enjoy hockey and give it my full attention. Hockey is all I think about, and in that sense, Metallurg is a great fit for me."

The 33-year-old also denied reports that there was interest from Pittsburgh, adding that they declined any negotiations.

"I didn't have an option with Pittsburgh — they said no right away," Kuznetsov, who scored an overtime series-winning goal against the Penguins in 2018 en route to the Capitals' Stanley Cup, revealed.

Kuznetsov picked up an assist for Metallurg in his debut this past week, and also noted that his choice to remain overseas stemmed from a desire to remain close to family.

"I don’t know why no one believes I had NHL offers. I just didn't want to go back there myself. As I said, there are too many questions about my game from people who, in my opinion, do not understand hockey," Kuznetsov told Sport-Express. "And I want not to prove something to them, but to please (my) relatives and friends with a good season. So I didn’t want to go far — I wanted to be there for parents, children, wife, maybe even a grandmother could come to the games."