The Washington Capitals would not have won the franchise's only Stanley Cup if it wasn't for Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Russian led the 2018  postseason in scoring with a ridiculous 32 points in 24 games to help the Caps beat the Vegas Golden Knights in the SCF.

That's the kind of player Kuznetsov once was for this club, a point-per-game superstar who played above-average defense and had the ability to be a walking highlight-reel.

It's been a crazy fall from grace for a player who is now borderline untradeable, with 17 points in 43 games in 2023-24 and an eye-opening $7.8 million cap hit.

After Kuznetsov was cleared by the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program earlier in March, he was immediately waived by Washington. The question now becomes: what's next for the 31-year-old?

Evgeny Kuznetsov still a trade chip?

According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, a potential trade out of the nation's capital still cannot be ruled out.

“Obviously, Kuznetsov is a totally different kettle of fish — not a rental and in a very unique situation after coming out of the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, clearing waivers earlier this week and reporting to AHL Hershey. I was told Tuesday that Kuznetsov is motivated to show people around the game he’s on the way back and can still be an elite player,” the insider asserted.

“So he’s approaching his AHL assignment with the right attitude. Could he move before Friday’s deadline? It would require a team wanting to take a chance and the Capitals wanting to take a bad contract back, given that Kuznetsov is signed through next season at $7.8 million AAV. As of Tuesday, there was still at least some hope that could happen. But it feels like a long shot before Friday.”

In his prime, Kuzy was a borderline superstar. It's unlikely he will ever find that form again, but it's encouraging both that he reported to the American Hockey League in the first place, and that he seems equipped with the proper attitude.

For both the Russian and the Washington Capitals, the glory days are long gone. But Evgeny Kuznetsov can still bring value to an NHL team, and it'll be intriguing to see if he'll get another chance to show that in 2023-24.