The new Capitals bench boss said he will "do everything" to help Kuznetsov get back to his highest level of play.
New Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has a long to-do list as he takes over, and one item on his agenda is getting Evgeny Kuznetsov back to his highest level of play following a disappointing season.
Carbery sat down with NHL.com's Tom Gulitti to discuss the state of the team and said that he has been in touch with Kuznetsov and that their talks have been positive so far.
"I've had multiple conversations with him over there [in Russia]. He's healthy, his training has gone well so far," Carbery told Gulitti. "In my conversations with him, it sounds like there's a real focus to his preparation for next season, which is great to see."
Kuznetsov had just 12 goals and 43 assists for 55 points in 81 games last season, marking the lowest point-per-game pace of his career in nearly a decade. His shooting percentage also hit a career-low of seven percent, and his play was inconsistent while his effort was questioned by critics.
The 31-year-old didn't hide from his performance and said on breakdown day that he was confident he could bounce back. In the meantime, his name has popped up on trade boards around the league, with Washington still looking to make a move for a top-6 forward.
None of those conversations about a potential trade have come to fruition yet, though general manager Brian MacLellan said that the Capitals are still in touch with teams and agents,
With training camp less than a month away, the best move may be holding onto Kuznetsov for now, especially with his $7.5 million cap hit being difficult to move and his trade value not the highest at the moment. Plus, seeing how he operates with Carbery could pay off, considering his game didn't match up well with ex-head coach Peter Laviolette's systems.
For Carbery, though, there's a positive to that, as he believes that No. 92 has the ability to get back on track — and that he can help him get there.
"I think he's a very, very important player for our team. What he's capable of when he's on his game is world-class, and that's my challenge to help identify parts of his game, things I can help him with, put him in positions to have success," Carbery told Gulitti. "I have a real appreciation for the game that he plays and the style of play. I think understanding and appreciating the impact that he can have on a nightly basis when he's on his game — there's not a lot of players that can do what he can do. I'm going to do everything I can to help him get back to that level."