Kuznetsov is one of the NHL's most electric offensive players, as he showed throughout the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The native of Chelyabinsk, Russia, scored one of the biggest goals in Capitals history when he scored in overtime of Game 6 in the Eastern Conference Second Round to eliminate the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and move the Capitals into the conference final for the first time since 1998. He followed that with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and a four-assist performance in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.

In total, Kuznetsov led the NHL with 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 24 playoff games, helping the Capitals win the Stanley Cup for the first time since entering the NHL in 1974. He finished second to linemate Alex Ovechkin in voting for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

The Capitals selected Kuznetsov with the No. 26 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, but he didn't arrive in Washington until 2014, after he completed a contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the Kontinental Hockey League, where he was named an All-Star in 2011-12.

On March 8, 2014, Kuznetsov signed an entry-level contract with the Capitals and made his NHL debut two days later against the Penguins. In his third NHL game, he had three assists in a victory against the Vancouver Canucks, and he scored his first career goal, shorthanded, in the final minute of a 5-4 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings on March 25, 2014.

In his first playoff series in 2015, Kuznetsov scored twice in a Game 5 victory against the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference First Round, then scored the winning goal in Game 7.

Kuznetsov's breakthrough season came in 2015-16 when he finished tied for ninth in the NHL with 77 points and was fourth with 57 assists. Kuznetsov also finished tied for sixth with a plus-27 rating and played in the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.

He improved on those numbers in 2017-18, finishing with 83 points (27 goals, 56 assists). Kuznetsov scored his 100th NHL goal against the Lightning on March 20, 2019.

Kuznetsov reported to and practiced with Hershey of the American Hockey League on March 5, 2024, where he was loaned by the Capitals after clearing waivers two days earlier. He entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Feb. 5 and the following month was cleared to resume practicing and entered the follow-up care phase of the program. He was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 8 for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and placed on unconditional waivers by the Hurricanes on July 17 for purpose of terminating his contract.

Before reaching the NHL, Kuznetsov was a decorated junior player at the international level with Russia, winning a silver medal at the 2009 Under-18 World Championship and a gold (2011) and silver (2012) at the IIHF World Junior Championship. At the 2011 World Junior Championship, he had 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in seven games -- including three assists in the gold medal game -- finished second in scoring and was named to the All-Tournament team. He also won a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.