Early Saturday morning, Evgeny Kuznetsov was cleared to return from the NHL's Player Assistance Program. But shortly after, the Washington Capitals decided to shockingly place the veteran on waivers.

Via Frank Seravalli:

“Capitals have put forward Evgeny Kuznetsov on waivers, same day he was cleared from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program.”

And as insider Chris Johnston pointed out, Kuznetsov's contract situation makes it unlikely anyone picks him up:

“Evgeny Kuznetsov carries a $7.8M cap charge through the end of next season. He's owed $8M in actual compensation next year, including a $2M signing bonus. It's hard to imagine anyone claiming the former star centre off waivers as a result.”

Kuznetsov entered the Player Assistance Program in early February due to personal reasons. He's in the midst of a down season, registering only six goals and 11 assists in 43 games. That's a far cry from the numbers we're used to seeing from the Russian. He's typically a guy who puts up a minimum of 50 points per campaign.

Given he is in the seventh year of an eight-year deal, the Capitals did explore trade options for Kuznetsov but instead, they've decided to cut ties. The 31-year-old was a key piece of Washington's Stanley Cup squad in 2018, scoring 12 goals and supplying 20 assists in the playoff run en route to their first title, beating the Vegas Golden Knights in the Finals.

It will be very interesting to see what Kuznetsov's next step is. Capitals fans will surely have fond memories of him after 11.5 seasons with the franchise.