The Canadiens will not offer Evgeny Kuznetsov a contract (according to Louis-André Larivière)

Dose
Crédit:

We’ve been hearing about Evgeny Kuznetsov in Montreal for some time now.

Many have wondered whether the Russian could be a target for the Canadiens, who are looking for a second (preferably left-handed) center…

But, all in all, let’s forget it.

Because, according to Louis-André Larivière (who used to work for TVA Sports), the Habs won’t be offering a contract to the man who spent the last year working alongside Ivan Demidov in Russia.

He talked about this in a recent article (La Page Sportive).

Is this a bad thing?

In my eyes… no. Not at all.

In reality, Kuznetsov may no longer be capable of producing on a top-6 NHL team because he’s really not the player he used to be.

He’s not always intense on the ice, he has a certain reputation off the ice… and to surround Ivan Demidov in the right way, you need to find a guy who can do it properly.

I find it hard to believe that Evgeny Kuznetsov was the perfect guy for the job.

That said, it also suggests that the search for a 2nd center continues in Montreal.

Kent Hughes has his nose in the file, and is actively trying to find a quality player before the start of next season… but that doesn’t mean he’ll succeed in his mission either.

It remains to be seen, then, whether the Canadiens’ GM will be able to fulfill the objective he set himself after the Canadiens’ season ended last April.

And Evgeny Kuznetsov’s name obviously needs to be removed from the equation.

In Overtime

– Brad MacKenzie is the new coach of the Los Angeles Kings’ feeder club.

– Please note:

– A great story.