Evgeny Kuznetsov had a long, storied career in the NHL, but now the veteran is opening up on the decision to return to the KHL ahead of the 2024/25 season. This off-season has been an absolutely wild one in the hockey world, but perhaps one of the most intriguing stories was Evgeny Kuznetsov giving up a $15.6 million deal to return to the KHL after a stellar run in the NHL. The decision was seen as a confusing one for many, and now the veteran has opened up on the shock move, revealing he just felt his time was up in the NHL. <q>It was a well-considered decision, Kuznetsov said. We made it with the whole family. Perhaps my time has come � everyone has their own time, and you have to leave in time. In this case, it was to leave the NHL. We're all very happy to be in St. Petersburg.</q> SKA St. Petersburg is one of the powerhouse teams in the KHL, and while his salary isn't as high as it would be in the NHL, he's getting paid well, making the move an understandable one. <q>Very big opportunities in SKA, very strong organization, he said, adding, Things worked out so well that I'm not ready to go to Chelyabinsk yet... the city itself, it would be very hard for me there, and I need time to readjust a little bit. If I were to leave Washington and Raleigh and go straight to Chelaybinsk, I wouldn't have a quiet life. I probably wouldn't be able to go outside at all.</q> The 32-year old had a fantastic run with the Washington Capitals and most recently the Carolina Hurricanes, and given that he'll be just 36-years old by the time his KHL deal comes up, you can never say never to an NHL return. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/sammisilber/status/1818734772383854815'> </a></blockquote></div> The veteran hoisted the Stanley Cup alongside Alex Ovechkin back in 2018, and has seemingly achieved all his goals in the NHL, so now he faces a new challenge that will potentially bring more eyes and excitement to the KHL. Source: Blade of Steel <a href='https://www.bladeofsteel.com/nhl-team/washington-capitals/evgeny-kuznetsov-explains-why-he-left-the-nhl-and-signed-in-the-khl' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Evgeny Kuznetsov explains why he left the NHL and signed in the KHL</a>