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The bread and butter of Kuznetsov’s game is in the defensive end of the ice. He uses his strong lateral mobility and backwards skating to maintain excellent gap control. Kuznetsov forces defenders to the outside and away from good shooting areas. If attackers don’t keep their heads up, he can explode into a hit. He also uses his active stick to knock the puck away from opponents. Kuznetsov stays close and puts pressure on attackers. He is also strong on the boards, fighting for loose pucks, pinning his man, and winning his battles. As Kuznetsov continues to mature, he should get stronger and be even more effective in this area of his game. His ability to move the puck out of the zone and transition up the ice helps to minimize the amount of time that opponents spend in his end of the ice.

Kuznetsov does a good job of containing his man in the cycle. He keeps him on the perimeter and cuts down the passing lanes to the middle of the ice. Kuznetsov is also strong away from the puck. He clears the front of the net and uses his size to his advantage. This is another area where he should get even better with maturity. Kuznetsov is a smart player. He reads the play well and anticipates what opponents are going to do, helping him to get to the right spot. Kuznetsov is also willing to put his body on the line and block shots.

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