Is Evgeny Kuznetsov off the rails? IIHF says no, hands him a four-year suspension

Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov has received a four-year suspension from the IIHF after testing positive for cocaine use.

Evgeny Kuznetsov will be taking a four-year break from international play after being handed a suspension from the IIHF for cocaine use on Friday morning. It seems the Washington star’s celebrations went from “yay” to “yayo” after winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Kuznetsov swore, in a totally believable statement in May, that he had never used illegal drugs (To his credit, Russia’s laws on cocaine use are pretty lax). The statement came after video surfaced of him next to a white powdery substance earlier this year. Kuznetsov clarified that the video was taken after the Capitals Cup win.

"“Yes, I saw this video appear on the network. I do not always have something to do with what is happening next to me. I have never used drugs and I am not going to get involved in this. If I have questions, I am ready to undergo a medical examination at any time.”"

Perhaps his statements were a little too “on the nose,” because Kuznetsov was tested soon after and said test returned positive for cocaine use. Whoops! Four years is a lengthy suspension but any discipline he receives from the NHL will be far less.

This will end up being nothing but a little bump in the road for Kuznetsov. He definitely won’t blow his chances at getting back in the IIHF’s good graces. The key for Kuzy is to stay focused on hockey moving forward. He’ll have to stay between the lines if he wants to avoid any more discipline.

Jokes aside, this isn’t a great look for Kuznetsov, who swore he had never used illegal substances. He won’t be able to compete in any world championships, which, honestly, probably isn’t the most concerning to him. The biggest loss would come from the NHL’s potential return to the Olympics in 2022, a year before Kuznetsov would once again be eligible for international play. This would be a huge loss for the Russian team as well, given how skilled Kuzy is and that he’ll be right in his prime at 30 years old.

The NHL previously released a statement saying they had enough information to move on from the video that had surfaced. As of now, Kuznetsov hasn’t been dealt any additional punishment from the league. Since the NHL and the Capitals closed their respective investigations after Kuzy’s comments, chances are he’ll be suiting up with the Caps to start the 2019-20 season.