Fresh off the heels of the Russian national team finishing with a bronze medal in the World Championship in Slovakia, a video surfaced Monday of Capitals and Russia forward Evgeny Kuznetsov in a room with a white powder substance that resembles cocaine.
A user on Twitter tweeted the video that has since been deleted, but shared throughout Twitter by other accounts and uploaded on YouTube.
The assumption of the video when translated suggested Kuznetsov was partying with the white powder substance, and an unidentified women lying in bed during the World Championships.
The Capitals were made aware of the video and released a statement on the matter, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post:
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said it’s too soon to comment on Kuznetsov, but the league will do their own investigation on the situation, per Khurshudyan.
Kuznetsov has since made a statement translated by Russian Machine Never Breaks’ Igor Kleyner. Kuznetsov denied any involvement in drug use while appearing on Sports-Express. He also stated that the video is not from the World Championships this month but from last year in Las Vegas after the Capitals clinched the Stanley Cup against the Golden Knights.
Yes, I saw the video on the internet. I don’t necessarily have anything to do with what is going on around me. I never used drugs and have no intention to get into it. If there are any questions, I am ready to undergo testing.
The video is a year old. It happened in summer of 2018, when we won the Cup in Vegas. It has nothing to do with the World Championship at all. I just came by the room where my some people I knew stayed. When I saw what was going on there – unfamiliar women, unknown substances on the table – I called my friend and left as soon as I could.
Unfortunately, someone decided to catch some notoriety just now – after the (Russian team) lost. I have nothing to hide, let this be on (the) conscience of whoever posted the video.
Certainly, this is not a good look for the NHL, Kuznetsov, or the Capitals as the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final between St. Louis and Boston starts Monday. This is a story that is certain to continue to develop as both the Capitals and the league investigate.
Kuznetsov, 27, was an integral part in leading Washington to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship a year ago with an impressive showing. He led the NHL Playoffs with 32 points and 20 assists during their run to the Cup. He had one goal and five assists in this year’s playoff stint that was halted by the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games in the first round.