Following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final, the NHL offseason is now in full swing. The 2023 NHL Draft and free agency are just a couple of weeks away, but before that, the trade stoves are burning hot. There are many trade targets on the market this offseason, one of them being Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov just finished his 10th season with the Capitals and has become a major piece of the team. In 680 NHL games, the 31-year-old Russian forward has 165 goals and 551 points. He also came up huge in Washington's Stanley Cup run in 2018, scoring 12 goals and a league-high 32 points in the playoffs to finish as the runner-up for the Conn Smythe Trophy, only behind Alexander Ovechkin.

However, the 2022-23 season was far from Kuznetsov's finest. In 81 games, he had just 12 goals and 55 points and had a career-worst -26 rating. His shooting percentage was also a career worst at just 7%, down from 11.5% the previous two years. With his production seemingly declining, him being on the wrong side of 30 and carrying a hefty $7.8 million cap hit for the next two seasons, it makes sense why the Capitals could move on from Kuznetsov.

Actually, Kuznetsov has been in trade talks for a while now, but it seems more real than ever this offseason. With the star center seemingly on the market, what teams should pursue him?

Without further ado, here are three of the best fits for Kuznetsov in a potential trade.

3. Nashville Predators

Nashville had been a very consistent team in the last decade or so, with eight straight playoff appearances and making it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017. That came to an end this season though, as the Predators missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 after selling at the trade deadline.

That said, it's not all doom and gloom in the Music City. Even after selling off assets, the Predators came within three points of the playoffs after a solid late-season run. With stars like Roman Josi and Juuse Saros still in the fold, there's potential for a quick turnaround here.

Adding Kuznetsov could help the Predators make it back to the playoffs sooner rather than later. If he can have a bounce-back season, he could bring some much-needed offensive punch to Nashville, which ranked 28th in scoring this season. It also helps that new Predators general manager Barry Trotz coached Kuznetsov and the Capitals for four seasons, so he knows what he's getting.

The Predators also have plenty of future picks after their deadline moves, so they have the tools to make a deal happen. Cap space shouldn't be much of an issue, either. If Nashville wants to make it back to the playoffs soon, this could be a very savvy move.

2. St. Louis Blues

In a lot of ways, the Capitals and Blues are in very similar positions. Both are recent champions, and both saw their long playoff streaks end this season. They even finished with very similar records, as St. Louis had 81 points and Washington had 80.

Despite missing the playoffs and trading away stars like Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly and Ivan Barbashev at the deadline, the Blues seem keen on competing again soon. If that's the case, they'll need to add some talent up front to shore up their losses. Evgeny Kuznetsov could give them the added offensive punch they need.

The Blues have three first-round picks this year, so they can include one of those in a potential deal. They may have to move out salary to make a deal work, as they are a bit tight on cap space. That may prove difficult as several of their players have no-trade/no-movement clauses, but it's certainly possible.

1. Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche just won the Stanley Cup a year ago, and much of that team remains intact. If Kuznetsov wants a shot at another cup, then Colorado is easily the best destination for him. Additionally, he could also fulfill a major need for the Avalanche.

After losing Nazem Kari in free agency last season, Colorado struggled to find a new second-line center behind Nathan MacKinnon. Alex Newhook, J.T. Compher and trade deadline pickup Lars Ellen were OK, but not true 2Cs for a contending team. By adding Kuznetsov, the Avalanche could have the 2C that eluded them this season. With Gabriel Landeskog's $7 million cap hit going on LTIR this season, the Avalanche can afford to bring in Evgeny Kuznetsov pretty easily.

The downside is that Colorado doesn't have a ton to offer Washington. The Avalanche have all their future first-round picks, but no seconds until 2026 and no thirds until 2025. Their prospect pool is also one of the weakest in the league. If they can put together a compelling package, though, they should absolutely pounce on the opportunity.