Former Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov is mourning the loss of his father, according to reports shared Sunday.
Hockey Patrol shared the news, along with a message from Jeremy Garrett of Hockey News Hub offering condolences to the Kuznetsov family.
There were no further details about the circumstances, and none are needed right now.
Moments like this put everything else in perspective. Whatever happens on the ice this week, the only thing that matters is his family.
Losing a parent is like the lights going out in an arena mid-game. Everything stops, and the scoreboard suddenly means nothing at all.
The hockey world quickly sent its support, and fans in Washington have plenty of reasons to remember him fondly for years.
Washington drafted him 26th overall in 2010, according to HockeyDB.
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Evgeny Kuznetsov, 2018 Stanley Cup champion with Capitals, mourns death of his father
He went on to play 743 regular-season NHL games, collecting 575 points.
His best regular season came in 2017-18, when he recorded 83 points.
He spent parts of 11 seasons in Washington and became a fixture at the heart of that lineup.
During Washington's 2017-18 Stanley Cup run, he piled up 32 playoff points.
In 97 NHL playoff games, he totaled 73 points.
He also played 20 games for Carolina in 2023-24 before heading back to the KHL.
Since then, he has suited up for St. Petersburg SKA, Magnitogorsk Metallurg, Ufa Salavat Yulayev and Novosibirsk Sibir.
His last NHL contract carried a $7,800,000 cap hit, according to HockeyDB.
Kuznetsov was born in Chelyabinsk, where his professional career began with Traktor.
Those are the kinds of details that usually fill a career story. This week, they feel very far away.
What do numbers really mean during a week like this one?
For a player who gave so many nights to so many fan bases, the support pouring in now is the least the hockey world can give back.
The numbers will always be there. This week, they're the last thing anyone in his circle is thinking about.
Should the Capitals honor Evgeny Kuznetsov's family with a tribute this season?
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