Capitals Rumors: Western Conference Team Has "Kicked Tires" On Evgeny Kuznetsov

According to recent reports from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Michael Gallagher, there has been ongoing interest from the Nashville Predators, led by former Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz, in acquiring center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Talks between the two teams have been mentioned, although they appear to have quieted down in recent times.

Kuznetsov, who is 31 years old, is coming off a season where he recorded 55 points, which was considered a decline compared to his impressive 78-point performance in the 2021-2022 season.

In May, there were reports suggesting that Kuznetsov was unhappy with his situation in Washington and desired a change of teams.

Lots of talk around Nashville's interest in a centre. Believe there were conversations around Washington's Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Barry Trotz sure knows him well -- but those appear to have quieted down.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2023

The Predators, after making some free agent signings, still reportedly maintain their interest in Kuznetsov. The team has demonstrated the ability to create salary cap space by buying out Matt Duchene's contract, which could potentially facilitate a trade for the Russian forward.

Kuznetsov has a remaining cap hit of $7.8 million per season for the next two years.

While the talks between the Predators and Capitals may have cooled down, the continued interest from Nashville could potentially attract offers from other teams in search of a skilled playmaking center.

It remains to be seen if any other team will come forward with a trade offer for Kuznetsov in the future. Photo Credit:  Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports