Hurricanes trading for Caps' Evgeny Kuznetsov, source says

The Carolina Hurricanes are trading for the Capitals' Evgeny Kuznetsov, a source told ESPN's Emily Kaplan, after the longtime Washington center had been placed on waivers and assigned to the team's AHL affiliate.

The Capitals will receive a 2025 third-round pick and retain 50% of Kuznetsov's contract, the source said. Kuznetsov is under contract through the 2024-25 season with a total cap hit of $7.8 million next season and $8 million in actual money owed.

Kuznetsov had been placed on waivers Saturday, hours after the NHL and the players' union said he had progressed in the player assistance program to the point of being able to join the Capitals for practice. General manager Brian MacLellan said the organization and Kuznetsov's camp were looking for a change of scenery.

His tenure with the Capitals has included frustrating ups and downs. He was Washington's leading scorer during its 2018 Stanley Cup run but had just 17 points in 43 games this season before going into the program last month.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.