Value of: Andrei Kuzmenko next contract

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

what a weird player He was great in Vancouver, didn't work out in Calgary, at least not this year.

Then he goes to the Flyers and he's decent

then hr goes to LA and he's pretty good.

He seems to be a guy that scores at a consistent rate or he gives you NOTHING it makes me wonder what he gets on the UFA market

 

[Petes2424]

He’s gonna get a prove it deal from someone desperate for secondary scoring. If he gets more than $3.5 I’d be surprised. The problem is, you just can’t trust him from game to game, and it’s scary giving him a regular shift.

He’s got a reputation now, and it’s not good. Doubt a contender gives him much of a look.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

He’s gonna get a prove it deal from someone desperate for secondary scoring. If he gets more than $3.5 I’d be surprised. The problem is, you just can’t trust him from game to game, and it’s scary giving him a regular shift.

He’s got a reputation now, and it’s not good. Doubt a contender gives him much of a look.

I'm not sure about that.

Regardless of how this playoffs end I don't think guys like Jarnkrok and Kampf are long for this team.

I do wonder if Toronto gives Kuzmenko a look as a Jarnkrok replacement.

And I like Jarnkrok I just think he's a guy they look to replace.

 

[MrLunatik]

He seems to get complacent when after being with a team for a while, or that's how it seemed in Calgary.

 

[edevils]

The mental game aside, what's the celling on his general skill level?

 

[FSL KINGS]

2.5 happy
3.25 meh
4 nope

He's decent. Can occasionally get a pass or shot off. Really helped by bumping someone off the PP. That was more about the person leaving than Kuzmenko.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

3-4 M. Low floor, relatively high ceiling depending on fit and chemistry.

 

[Kshahdoo]

The problem is with low salary some NHL coach geniuses will be tempted to use him as a bottom6 forward. And of course it won't work. With high salary, though, he can just get into another bad mood mode and stop scoring.

You need a good coach to handle him not typical NHL ones...

 

[Avs2022]

Avs? I year deal?

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

He's a player who struggles significantly defensively but is excellent on a powerplay in front of the net. He's a slow skater but has very good hands. Someone will give him a deal but I have no idea how much he will get

 

[funky]

He fit real well in LA. Went ppg after his initial 7 game break in and went ppg in the playoffs although I think most this points were in 3 games.

He has great edges, great vision and should use his under rated shot more.

He was comical as he said he had to play better defensively because if he dogged it Kopitar would glare at him and he didn’t want to disappoint.

It was under 30 games but he meshed very well with Kopitar and Kempe and ignited a very stagnant power play.

If I was the Kings I would pay him a bit more for a shorter two year prove it contract. Would not want to go over the 4 mil a year mark though. 3 teams last year, the swoons in scoring over the last 3 years all scare me.

Also this will be Kopitars last year so some argue he might not fit as well after Kopitar leaves. That I don’t see as Kuzmenko is an offensive talent. I would worry more about the defensive side if Kopitar isn’t holding him accountable.

In his year end meeting he claimed to finally get it. So if he has that is awesome.

He also would get great money in the KHL.

I would gamble on 2/8 but that may be no where near enough term or money.

I think the Kings go big game hunting this year with Marner and once they get turned down by him like everyone else turns them down they will re-address and go after Kuzmenko

 

[Danko]

When he came to the flyers i thought i remember reading he wanted to play in russia next year

 

[MrLunatik]

He fit real well in LA. Went ppg after his initial 7 game break in and went ppg in the playoffs although I think most this points were in 3 games.

He fit in Calgary immediately after we acquired him too... then this season he was hot garbage for the most part.

When he joined the Flames he put up 14 goals and 25 points in 29 games.
When he joined the Kings he put up 11 goals and 23 points in 28 games (reg season and playoffs)

If I were a GM, I'd never give him more than a 1 year contract.

 

[Nanuuk]

Kuz is a happy-go-lucky, devil may care kind of person that sometimes is motivated to play hockey the way he is capable of.

So I suspect he will bounce around always searching for his next pay cheque that allows him his current lifestyle.

 

[me2]

He fit in Calgary immediately after we acquired him too... then this season he was hot garbage for the most part.

When he joined the Flames he put up 14 goals and 25 points in 29 games.
When he joined the Kings he put up 11 goals and 23 points in 28 games (reg season and playoffs)

If I were a GM, I'd never give him more than a 1 year contract.

Every mid-tier offensive forward goes through scoring slumps. When your defensive game is bad and you are in a scoring slump, the coach demote you, and you stay slumped on lower lines with worse partners. You're defensive flaws become an even bigger issue.

Kuz's natural state is a good offensive play and bad defensive play. He regresses to that after the initial new team boost. He is a frustrating player when he's off his game. Fans love him, coaches tear their hair out.

He's a likeable happy go lucky guy. Probably a good team mate on a rebuilding team.

 

[MrLunatik]

Every mid-tier offensive forward goes through scoring slumps. When your defensive game is bad and you are in a scoring slump, the coach demote you, and you stay slumped on lower lines with worse partners. You're defensive flaws become an even bigger issue.

Kuz's natural state is a good offensive play and bad defensive play. He regresses to that after the initial new team boost. He is a frustrating player when he's off his game. Fans love him, coaches tear their hair out.

He's a likeable happy go lucky guy. Probably a good team mate on a rebuilding team.

half a season isn't just a scoring slump

 

[gsharpe]

Everyone has so much cap space. Carolina might give him 1 year 5 million. And they won't even notice on the books

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

The problem is with low salary some NHL coach geniuses will be tempted to use him as a bottom6 forward. And of course it won't work. With high salary, though, he can just get into another bad mood mode and stop scoring.

You need a good coach to handle him not typical NHL ones...

He was magic next to EP, high shooting% aside.
Tochett ruined him by trying to play him on a defensive bottom six line then was pissed when that didn't work.

When he was on our top line I saw more conditioning issues opposed to a poor dgame.

 

[FlyguyOX]

I'd love to have him back in Philly. He's dynamite offensively and on the PP.

And yet that will be the first thing Tocc make's sure to ruin on the team.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Creative with good hands, mostly a PP specialist who defers to his linemates.

I wouldn't give him much term, but he's a decent option if he can be had for a reasonable price (say $3M or so).

 

[WTFMAN99]

I think it's a bidding war for 1 year

3.5-5M range depending on if a team misses out on it's first and second choices.

 

[BluesyShoes]

Hard not to be a fan of the person. Rooting for him, would like to see him stay in LA since he had a good fit there. Pretty brilliant offensive player when he's up on his confidence, but will just never see the ice well defensively. The Kopi Kempe line was a really good fit for him.

 

[DJJones]

I think he gets a decent paycheck. Can score and hes proven he gets a short term boost on a new team.

Retaining 50% at the deadline seems like an easy way to get a 2nd for whoever signs him

 

[Volica]

Him in LA made a lot of sense, because you could throw him out there with Kopitar and Kopitar will do Kopitar things; IE make him look semi-competent and hide a lot of the warts of a perimeter player like Kuzy.

The guy is a beloved teammate, really easy to like.

I think there are some fits out there that could work. Him ending up on Florida would be funny, because he'd probably be like a 65-75 point player with Barkov. Similarly, a team like Carolina that plays so structurally and sound, he'd flourish.

If he ends up in like a Columbus situation, Chicago, SJ, Anaheim type deal... he'll finish the year in the KHL.

If I'm not a complete, competing team... I don't look at this guy at all; like I avoid him at all costs. If I'm a competing team that is really sound two-way, this is an easy 2.25-3.75 one-year contract I'm throwing out there. He could end up being an absolute steal by seasons end.

 

[WarriorofTime]

LA should just re-sign him, what else are they gonna do