NHL Trade Rumors: $62,400,000 Washington Capitals forward deemed perfect package deal for Dallas Stars

By Cole Shelton

Modified Sep 05, 2023 19:48 GMT

Evgeny Kuznetsov could get traded in the near future, and the Dallas Stars could make a lot of sense.

In the past, there have been reports that Kuznetsov has requested a trade out of Washington. The Russian was reportedly unhappy with his role at times.

However, Kuznetsov clarified those comments and said he would stay in Washington but wasn't sure what his future holds:

"My both kids grow up here, born here and I’m happy here. I like the guys, I like everything. But you never know, right? It’s not always on me, right? I’m always all of these accepting things. I live in reality, I don’t live somewhere else, and I don’t blame people.

"I’m always trying to work on myself and always think about how day went and then turn the page and trying to work on the bad habits on the ice and get better. So it’s not easy to work on yourself, right? It’s always easy to think about, to talk about somebody else, but I’m trying to be better. It’s just a little bit tough situation right where we are in."

According to The Hockey Writers, if Evgeny Kuznetsov does get traded, he will be highly sought after, but the Dallas Stars on paper make the most sense.

The Stars are a legit Cup contender who should be looking to trade picks and prospects for players who will help them this year, which is exactly what Kuznetsov will do.

The Russian winger has two years left on his deal, which is worth $7.8 million per year and $62.4 million over eight years. The contract could be tough for Dallas to absorb, so a third team would likely need to come into play to take on some salary.

However, adding Evgeny Kuznetsov would make Dallas arguably one of the best offenses in the NHL that also has Jake Oettinger in net, who's one of the best goalies in the league.

If Dallas can pull off the trade with the Washington Capitals to get Kuznetsov, it would only strengthen its chances of hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Washington Capitals' 2023-24 season

The Washington Capitals finished the 2022-23 season with a record of 35-37-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14.

The Capitals are +235 underdogs to make the playoffs next year, which implies just a 29.9% chance, so Washington is likely to miss the playoffs again.

This summer, the Capitals added Max Pacioretty up front and Joel Edmundson on defense. However, even with the additions, it is likely Washington will miss the playoffs again.