The Washington Capitals re-signed center Evgeny Kuznetsov on Sunday to a $62.4 million, eight-year deal and made room for him by trading Marcus Johansson to the New Jersey Devils.
This Feb. 9, 2017 file photo shows Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), of Russia, looking on during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings in Washington. The Capitals have re-signed Kuznetsov to a $62.4 million, eight-year deal. Kuznetsov will count $7.8 million against the salary cap through the 2024-25 season. General manager Brian MacLellan announced the contract Sunday, July 2, 2017.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (53) reaches for the puck against Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), of Russia, during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
San Jose Sharks defenseman Paul Martin (7) reaches for the puck against Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), of Russia, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov, of Russia, scores on an open net during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, in Newark, N.J. The Capitals won 5-2.
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
AP Photo/Julio Cortez
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson (42) is tripped by Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), of Russia, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
In this May 8, 2017 file photo, Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin (8) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) talks on the bench during an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh. Brian MacLellan has the power to completely remake the Washington Capitals in the wake of another early playoff exit, and a salary-cap crunch could force his hand.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File )
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File
In this Sunday, April 23, 2017, file photo, Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) carries the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs center Brian Boyle (24) and right wing Kasperi Kapanen (28) give chase during the first period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto. Two people with knowledge of the situation have said the Capitals and Maple Leafs will play an outdoor game at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, next season. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday, May 27, because the NHL had not announced the event.
(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin (71) is pinned along the boards by Washington Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov during the third period of Game 6 in an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference semifinal hockey game in Pittsburgh, Monday, May 8, 2017. The Capitals won 5-2.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), from Russia, celebrates scoring the game winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with teammates, T.J. Oshie (77), John Carlson (74), Marcus Johansson (90), from Sweden, and Karl Alzner (27) during the third period of Game 5 in the second-round of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Saturday, May 6, 2017, in Washington. The Capitals won 4-2.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) begins to celebrate with Alex Ovechkin (8) as Washington Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) skates to the locker room following a 3-2 Penguins win in Game 4 of an NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference semifinal hockey game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, May 3, 2017.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. of Russia, celebrates his goal during the third period of Game 1 in an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Thursday, April 27, 2017, in Washington. The Penguins won 3-2.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) skates with the puck against Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), of Russia, and Marcus Johansson (90), of Sweden, during the first period of Game 5 in an NHL Stanley Cup hockey first-round playoff series, Friday, April 21, 2017, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Curtis McElhinney (35) defends as Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) shoots during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 4, 2017, in Toronto.
(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), of Russia, becomes entangled with Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen (31), of Denmark, during the third period of Game 5 in an NHL Stanley Cup hockey first-round playoff series, Friday, April 21, 2017, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), of Russia, shoots the puck for a goal past New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30), of Sweden, as left wing J.T. Miller (10) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, April 5, 2017, in Washington. The Capitals won 2-0.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov (92), from Russia, heads to the bench to celebrate his goal with left wing Andre Burakovsky, behind, from Austria, in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, in Washington. The Capitals won 3-1.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — As the Washington Capitals closed in on a big-money, long-term deal with Evgeny Kuznetsov, they explored ways to make sure they could afford it under the salary cap.
On Sunday, the Capitals signed Kuznetsov to a $62.4 million, eight-year deal and made room for the talented Russian center by trading forward Marcus Johansson to the New Jersey Devils for 2018 second- and third-round picks. The back-to-back Presidents’ Trophy winners committed $7.8 million per season to Kuznetsov, $5.75 million to right winger T.J. Oshie and $5.1 million to Dmitry Orlov and had to do something.
“You can’t argue with signing Orlov and Oshie and Kuznetsov,” Devils general manager Ray Shero said. “Good teams like Washington, all teams have to do it at some point: You’re making decisions and rearranging the furniture. There’s a salary cap. And if there wasn’t, I’m pretty sure Marcus would still be in Washington.”
Signed through 2024-25, Kuznetsov is now the second highest-paid player on the Capitals roster behind only captain Alex Ovechkin’s $9.54 million cap hit and ahead of center Nicklas Backstrom’s $6.7 million. The 25-year-old had 19 goals and 40 assists for 59 points last season. In 261 NHL games with the Capitals, he has 182 points on 53 goals and 129 assists, and he led the team in points in 2015-16.
“Evgeny is a premier center in the NHL, and we are pleased that he will remain in Washington for at least the next eight years,” GM Brian MacLellan said. “It is difficult to find a player of his caliber, who is in his prime and makes his teammates better. Evgeny plays with a tremendous skill, speed and tenacity needed to win in the NHL.”
There was no doubt the Capitals would agree to a long-term deal with Kuznetsov, even amid interest from Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League in him and Orlov, who signed for $30.6 million over six years. After giving Oshie $46 million over eight years and still needing to re-sign restricted free agent forward Andre Burakovsky and goaltender Philipp Grubauer, Washington cleared roughly $4.58 million in cap space by sending Johansson to New Jersey.
The Capitals got Florida’s second-rounder and Toronto’s third-rounder next year after not having a pick in the first three rounds of this year’s draft. The Devils get a 26-year-old Swede coming off a career-high 58-point season.
“It’s a trade that obviously helps both teams,” Shero said. “Washington with their cap and being able to trade a great player like Kuznetsov and certainly a team like ours taking advantage of that and adding a real good young player and an up-and-coming player in Marcus.”
Shero said he’d been monitoring the Capitals’ salary-cap situation for some time. Washington lost in the second round for the second consecutive year, but changes were coming no matter the playoff result.
The Capitals already couldn’t afford to bring back winger Justin Williams and defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner. Williams signed a $9 million, two-year deal with Carolina, Alzner a $23.125 million, five-year deal with Montreal and Shattenkirk a $26.6 million, four-year deal with the New York Rangers.
The Devils were in on Shattenkirk, but when that didn’t happen, upgrading their forward depth by getting Johansson was the next step. New Jersey has missed the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, so taking advantage of a perennial contender’s jam is just part of the process to try to get back in the postseason mix.
“I’ve been on the other end,” said Shero, who won the Stanley Cup in 2009 as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ GM. “Washington’s got a real good team. I want to get there. But this is where we are.”
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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno
