Evgeny Kuznetsov made hockey headlines with his move back to Russia’s KHL last week. He has since hit the media streets hard, and his latest chat came with Russian outlet, Match TV.

Kuznetsov sat down for an interview that will air on the network’s program “Gromko!” and revealed he wants another former Washington Capitals player, Dmitry Orlov, to join him on SKA Saint Petersburg in the near future.

“I think it won’t be long,” Kuznetsov said per a translation from Google Translate. “I think we’ll reunite next year (laughs). It’s a joke. It’s always nice with Dima, we communicate well. He knows the real Zhenya Kuznetsov. He is one of the few people I can share with. We are in constant contact.

“I’ve already seen him in Russia, he flew away. So it will be a bit boring. We are good friends.”

Orlov has been a teammate of Kuznetsov in every single season of the Russian center’s career to this point. The veteran blueliner first formed his tight bond with Kuznetsov through the 10 years they spent with the Capitals, and then Kuznetsov joined back up with Orlov on the Carolina Hurricanes at last year’s trade deadline.

The Russian blueliner has one year remaining on his contract with the Hurricanes before he’s set for unrestricted free agency. Orlov played third-pairing minutes for the Hurricanes last year after being a mainstay in the Capitals’ top-four group for almost a decade.

“In a year, I hope [he comes],” Kuznetsov said. “This is my wish and that of another person (laughs).”

The 33-year-old defender is set to make $7.75 million with Carolina next year and then will be eligible to cash in on one likely final NHL deal the following summer. Orlov has played pro hockey in North America since 2011 when he came over to play 19 games for the Hershey Bears at the end of the 2010-11 campaign.

Before that, he spent parts of four seasons with Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the KHL. Orlov then played 11 seasons for Washington in the NHL before being dealt to the Boston Bruins at the 2023 trade deadline.

Orlov believed Kuznetsov could still play in the NHL before the centerman ultimately decided to sign with SKA. Kuznetsov’s deal with SKA is for four years, so it’s not out of the question that Orlov could eventually reunite with his good friend.