Evgeny Kuznetsov filmed with cocaine (Kuznetsov denies using)

[WingsMJN2965]

Partial Google translation:

"I just went to my friends in the room. When I saw what was happening there – unfamiliar women, strange substances on the table – he called a friend and left there as soon as possible."

 

[Midnight Judges]

Baking soda is my guess. They were all in that room just trying to bake some muffins.

I mean who doesn't bake muffins in Vegas hotel rooms?

 

[Claypool]

Doing cocaine after winning the cup does not mean drug problem.

What does winning the cup have to do with anything? Doing cocaine once means you have a drug problem. Doing it "every once in awhile" doesn't make it any less illegal.

If I'm paying an athlete millions of dollars I don't want them doing any drugs period.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

where do you draw the line? snorting percs? shooting some heroin up? standing next to a guy dealing 10lbs of meth?

he put himself next to those drugs and that leaves very little interpretation to a reasonable person who isn't just trying to play devil's advocate

I definitely see the point you're trying to make but are we really going to pretend like millionaire athletes don't use drugs at all?

Suspending players caught next to drugs isn't the way to go IMO.

 

[Hatfield]

Why would a non coke user want to take the risk of being around coke users?

Hangers-on generally do what the celebrity wants, not the other way around.

Aside from this particular unique circumstance...what risk?

 

[tny760]

I definitely see the point you're trying to make but are we really going to pretend like millionaire athletes don't use drugs at all?

Suspending players caught next to drugs isn't the way to go IMO.

we're not going to pretend, we're going to enforce the rules we have in place

 

[Midnight Judges]

Aside from this particular unique circumstance...what risk?

Getting arrested

Getting an incriminating video put online

Losing hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) from a suspension

 

[Jacob]

Partial Google translation:

"I just went to my friends in the room. When I saw what was happening there – unfamiliar women, strange substances on the table – he called a friend and left there as soon as possible."

 

[Sysreq]

Saw the video. Being in the presence of and not interacting with, or acknowledging an unknown white substance on a table near you, is not a crime or punishable offense.

Maybe it warrants a “not so random” random drug test.

But with the current evidence presented, I don’t think the league can take action.

 

[McVechkin]

I’ve never touched the stuff in my life but have plenty of friends that have started / continued. I generally do stay away from them when they are doing/on it. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Kuz looks very similar to how I would be in that situation. At the same time, I’m not naive, he could easily be in on it too.

One things for certain though. That guy who took the video better have some people watching his back.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

A topic I tried to stay away from but a vast majority of NHL players do it and a small percentage have been caught. Some of which that have lead on to trades.

 

[TopG]

What does winning the cup have to do with anything? Doing cocaine once means you have a drug problem. Doing it "every once in awhile" doesn't make it any less illegal.

remove this guy from the thread lol

 

[Hatfield]

Getting arrested

Getting an incriminatie video put online

Losing hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) from a suspension

I thought you were speaking generally, not necessarily about this particular circumstance.

If you ever went to parties in college, you were most likely in the presence of cocaine and other illegal drugs. Someone like Kuznetsov, who is young and successful, is probably desensitized to it whether or not he’s ever used it. So lesson learned, I guess.

 

[shtorm2005]

Suspend him for whole offseason. Poor Kuzy, invited to the party that went wrong, that never happens usually.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

..and now we know the origins of the bird celebration.

*snort*

"oh man, I feel lifted! Woo! Like a bird!"

..kidding, it's for his daughter and i have no idea if he actually does coke or not. I just like that image.

 

[tny760]

..and now we know the origins of the bird celebration.

*snort*

"oh man, I feel lifted! Woo! Like a bird!"

..kidding, it's for his daughter and i have no idea if he actually does coke or not. I just like that image.

the cocaine is for his daughter? jesus christ this is worse than i thought

 

[Ms Maggie]

Behind closed doors with a person you know - I think it's reasonable to say he shouldn't have expected to be recorded - it does look candid btw and the guy filmed while Kuznetsov was on the phone which makes me think he knew he was being a snake.

For all Kuznetsov knew - the guy was checking Instagram or replying to a text or doing virtually any other function on the phone aside from recording him, there would be no flashing light or indication he was being filmed.

Oh yeah, we've yet to see him consume anything.

Not expecting to be filmed is kinda the point. Hell it's a damn industry. Guy needs to use that thing on top of his neck.

 

[Janne Niinimaa]

we're not going to pretend, we're going to enforce the rules we have in place

And the rules are what? Not being allowed to be in a room with cocaine? He can get drug tested, but unless he did some 2-3 days prior to being tested, the cocaine will be out of his system.

 

[GreatSaveLuongo]

Cocaine is just a stronger Caffeine right?

 

[Dr Quincy]

Saw the video. Being in the presence of and not interacting with, or acknowledging an unknown white substance on a table near you, is not a crime or punishable offense.

Maybe it warrants a “not so random” random drug test.

But with the current evidence presented, I don’t think the league can take action.

Not saying this is the case with Kuznetsov, but your blanket statement isn't true. "Constructive Possession" is a charge that many have been prosecuted for. I haven't seen the video, so I don't know if there is any evidence of this in this case, but "not interracting with a white substance" isn't necessarily a get out of jail free card (literally).

 

[JoVel]

Doing cocaine once means you have a drug problem.

Umm no...? Is everyone who have tried alcohol an alcoholic? A good bunch of people have done drugs exactly once and never touched them again. Do they have a drug problem?

 

[oilers4life]

ahahhaah are we sure it wasnt hes pre workout powder

 

[roflstomper]

Multimillionaire athletes doing coke. More on this shocking development at 11. Lmao.

 

[JoVel]

Cocaine is just a stronger Caffeine right?

I once played a game years ago, don't remember the context, but the host of the game told us to name a drug beginning with C. Someone said caffeine.

So I guess you're right.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

the cocaine is for his daughter? jesus christ this is worse than i thought

haha I knew it could be read that way and said "screw it, it's better that way."

Anyways, saw the video.

1) I don't personally care, I'm sure the league and team do though.
2) Why the f*** do you let the dude film? Jesus man- I won't judge drug use, but I will judge you for being that stupid. You're a famous athlete. Tell him to put the phone away.
3) My guess would be he partook. 2 lines, 2 people, the angle, come on. The dude filming isn't gonna be doing both while Kuzy sits there stone cold sober.
4) Terrible denial by Kuzy- don't claim to have left immediately when the video shows you calmly sitting there.