ARLINGTON, Va. – Newly signed Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov will make his NHL debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.
A crowd of about 50 gathered at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Sunday to watch as the 21-year-old Kuznetsov skate for 40 minutes with head coach Adam Oates and strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish.
He went through a brief shooting regimen and performed a few drills along the boards before signing autographs and speaking to reporters.
He says: "Every hockey player wants to play in the NHL and wants to win the (Stanley) Cup. It's my dream to play in the NHL."
Kuznetsov was a first-round draft pick by the Capitals in 2010. He played five seasons for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL.