Photos: Traktor HC

Washington Capitals star center Evgeny Kuznetsov has been spending the past few weeks in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia. On Friday the Capitals centerman held a class for Chelyabinsk schoolchildren at the Valery Belousov Educational Center.

The Washington Capitals star and two-time world champion also visited places where he trained as a child and held a master class and autograph session for schoolchildren of the educational center. He also cut the ribbon for the new hockey facility.

Kuznetsov was born in Chelyabinsk in 1992 and was a pupil of the Traktor hockey school. He played both on the main squad of the club, as well as on the team “White Bears”. He began his professional career in the 2009 season.

“The construction of a hockey rink was pretty obvious in this area. It had to be just like that – street, so that the guys could come here at any time of the day or night. I skated late all the time. I hope that the parents of the children who live nearby will be patient and understand that the child here is making his dream come true,” said Kuznetsov.

“I am grateful to those who made the dreams of the guys who will come here to skate, just drive the puck, – said Evgeny Kuznetsov. – When I was little, there weren’t such good conditions. I hope that now this box will always be full of kids – day and night.”

Kuznetsov also attended the Traktor and Ak Bars KHL game on Wednesday night.

PHOTOS FROM EVENT

By Jon Sorensen