The former Capitals netminder said he and Kuznetsov became good friends while he was in D.C.
Former Washington Capitals goaltender Zach Fucale is already feeling at home in the KHL, and he and his teammates said Evgeny Kuznetsov played a big part in it.
Fucale, who signed a one-year deal to join Traktor Chelyabinsk following his run in the Capitals organization, got a lot of guidance from Kuznetsov, who played for Traktor before arriving in D.C.
Chelyabinsk teammate Anton Burdasov spoke to Sport24 about the netminder, saying the Quebec native is acclimating well to life overseas.
"Zach is a great guy, funny. He's been on the team for a week, and he's already learned so many words in Russian," Burdasov said, per a DeepL translation.
He added that Fucale is already comfortable and that the way he carries himself off the ice is reminiscent of Kuznetsov, who is known for his laid-back personality and sense of humor.
Kuznetsov gave Fucale advice and insight before he elected to sign in Traktor, and the 28-year-old mentioned that he and Kuznetsov had formed a close bond in D.C.
"Looks like Zhenya taught him. Zach's already walking around the arena halls like he's at home, shouting something in Russian, sometimes swearing," Burdasov added.
Fucale agreed, telling RB Sport that he owes a lot to Kuznetsov, who joked that fans would burn Fucale's car if he didn't play well.
"Thanks a lot to Kuzy. He said a lot of good things about me. For that, I'm very grateful to him," Fucale said, per a DeepL translation. "It's great to have a person you can always ask something about Chelyabinsk to. He's happy to answer me.
"The main thing is to play [well] so that no one has the desire to burn my car," he joked.
Chelyabinsk has already gotten action in with the Governor's Cup. Fucale received two penalties and struggled somewhat, but Burdasov said it stemmed from him taking time to adapt to the league's style.
"I understand that he doesn't understand all our rules yet; there are still differences," Burdasov said. "He was surprised that he was penalized for throwing his stick. In his mind, it just fell out [of his hand], and the referees thought he threw it. It's nothing. He'll get used to it."
Fucale added that he made some "mistakes and stupid decisions" and was still getting used to the swing of game action following a long offseason. However, he feels prepared now and ready to "approach the season in optimal shape." The fan support has also made the transition easier.
"I'm blown away... it was just amazing. I was fully energized," he added.
The KHL season officially kicks off on Friday.