from RIA NOVOSTI,

Washington Capitals prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov told R-Sport on Monday he is yearning to leave Russia for the NHL to avoid stagnating as a player.

Last week, the 21-year-old said this season would be his last the with his hometown team Traktor Chelyabinsk, before he moves overseas to join Capitals, who drafted him 26th overall in 2010.

“If I don’t leave, I might stop developing as a player,” Kuznetsov said. “I still need to learn a lot and I understand that if I don’t go there now, then it would be difficult to leave.”

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