Ovechkin Visited Kuznetsov In Russia After Move To KHL, Says He Supports Ex-Capitals Center As He Starts Over: 'We Have A Great Relationship'

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is supporting Evgeny Kuznetsov as he begins a new chapter of his career in the KHL.

Ovechkin took the time to speak on Kuznetsov with MatchTV and said the two are on good terms and that he visited Kuznetsov after he terminated the final year of his NHL contract and signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg this summer.

"I have a great relationship with Kuzy, everything's good," Ovechkin said, per a DeepL translation. "I saw him in Novogorsk and wished him good luck."

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Kuznetsov spent 11 years in the NHL and all but 20 of his 743 career games with Washington. He picked up 171 goals and 397 assists for 568 points over that span, while also winning the Stanley Cup with Ovechkin and the Capitals in 2018.

Kuznetsov recently that his final years in D.C. didn't go according to plan as he battled rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that impacts the joints. After a rough start to this past year with the Capitals, the 32-year-old spent time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program before being waived and assigned to the Hershey Bears. He was ultimately traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.

"I'd been suffering all year," Kuznetsov recently admitted in a tell-all interview.

Related: Kuznetsov Opens Up About Health Problems With Capitals & Why He Entered Player Assistance Program: 'I'd Been Suffering All Year'

Ultimately, when it came to his decision to leave the NHL, Kuznetsov said he had been thinking about a KHL transfer for the last bit, but ultimately decided to start a new chapter. He also said he wanted to do right by his family and show his children he could still play hockey.

Ovechkin voiced his support for Kuznetsov and ultimately said he hopes that Kuznetsov can rekindle his joy for the game and rediscover the spark that made him an All-Star caliber player at different points during his NHL tenure.

"Everyone has his own head on his shoulders, everyone makes his own decisions. He made a decision together with his family to come and play with SKA," Ovechkin said. "I can only wish him success."

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- Evgeny Kuznetsov says he struggled so much in final NHL season to the point where he didn't want his family attending his games