Capitals strength coach impressed with Kuznetsov's commitment to training

The offseason is a busy time for Washington Capitals strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish, who is already seeing players arrive in town to get ready for the upcoming NHL season, a full seven weeks before the start of training camp.

The 49-year-old is entering his eighth season with the team, and, over time, the job has evolved into a 12-month gig. 

One player that caught his eye as of late is 22-year-old Evgeny Kuznetsov, who has displayed an admirable commitment to his training since coming over from Russia late this past season.

Here's Nemish, via CSN Washington:

When he first came to D.C., before he even played his first game, I was with him on the ice. And one of the first things he said was, ‘I want to come here in the summertime with my wife and I want to train and get in the best shape possible.’ Right from Day 1 he’s had a great level of commitment to the team in getting himself in the best shape possible for this upcoming season.

Drafted 26th overall in the 2010 Draft, Kuznetsov scored three goals and added nine assists in his first 17 NHL games, and possesses a skill set that is considered the envy of many. 

If he can continue on this positive track with Nemish - and there's no reason to suggest he won't, even if some might point to his passport as a red flag in that regard - the Capitals could be set to prove that it was well worth the wait.