Despite waivers, an AHL demotion, a trade from the only team he’s ever known and a mutual contract termination to close out the season, former Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes center Evgeny Kuznetsov said 2023-24 was one of the best seasons he’s ever had from a mental health standpoint.

After signing a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Kuznetsov sat down with MatchTV for an exclusive interview and was able to reflect on his final year with the Capitals and Hurricanes and why he chose to return to his home country of Russia.

“I think it was my best NHL season in terms of emotions and what I learned, what I learned about people, my game and my life in general,” Kuznetsov said, per a DeepL translation. “Maybe to people from the outside, it might seem like the worst season ever, but actually, it was one of the best for me. Again, I learned a lot.”

After an inconsistent start to the season for the Capitals, Kuznetsov spent time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and requested a trade. Washington waived him and assigned him to the AHL’s Hershey Bears while the team worked out a deal, and on trade deadline day, he was sent to the Hurricanes for a 2025 third-round pick.

After putting up seven points in the final 20 games of the season for Carolina and adding six points in 10 playoff games, Kuznetsov made a tough decision, walking away from the final year of the eight-year deal he’d signed with Washington in 2017 and terminating his NHL deal in order to return to the KHL.

“It was a well-considered decision,” Kuznetsov said. “We made it with the whole family. Perhaps my time has come — everyone has their own time, and you have to leave in time. In this case, it was to leave the NHL. We’re all very happy to be in St. Petersburg.”

Kuznetsov also received an offer from his hometown team, Traktor Chelyabinsk, but said that he chose SKA after deciding it was “the best option for my future” while admitting he wasn’t ready to return home after his whirlwind of a year.

“Very big opportunities in SKA, very strong organization,” he said, adding, “Things worked out so well that I’m not ready to go to Chelyabinsk yet… the city itself, it would be very hard for me there, and I need time to readjust a little bit. If I were to leave Washington and Raleigh and go straight to Chelaybinsk, I wouldn’t have a quiet life. I probably wouldn’t be able to go outside at all.”

There had been rumors that Kuznetsov and his wife preferred to raise their children in Russia, but Kuznetsov called that “nonsense,” reiterating that he wanted a fresh start and a chance to play hockey in his native country.

“I’ve had a very long year, I realized a lot of things about myself. I really want to play Russian hockey, to immerse myself in the KHL,” Kuznetsov said. “I’ll do it with pleasure.”

When it comes to his future and next steps, Kuznetsov said that he’s ready to make the most of his time in the KHL and isn’t considering returning to North America anytime soon.

“Definitely not,” Kuznetsov said of a potential return to the NHL. “I have a big career ahead of me in SKA.”

He also didn’t rule out a return to Traktor down the road. At the end of the day, though, Kuznetsov expressed gratitude for those who helped him reach this point and also assured fans that he’s still classic Kuzy, still smiling all the same as he starts anew.

“I would like to say thank you to everyone who helped and who was even against me at some points. All the same, thanks to them,” Kuznetsov said, adding, “I’m always smiling. Every day I come to the rink, [I’m happy]…. it’s always been joy, smiles and positivity.”