What's the deal with Andrei Kuzmenko (esp. this season)?

[ItWasJustified]

Complete refusal to shoot the puck this season. Which is one of two things that make him a worthwhile NHL player. Huska is fed up with him and I don't blame him, if he's not scoring he's worse than useless.

seems like a fun guy tho, kinda hope he sticks around NA but it won't be in Calgary

He's not a shooter though? He scored almost every Canucks goal his first season by picking up trash in front and around the net.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

To be fair I think the second part plays into the first. Pettersson was certainly doing all the heavy lifting that year but it also showed what he was capable of when he was on and playing with someone who could keep up with his creativity and IQ which he hasn’t really had otherwise since the lotto line was a thing, and even then Miller and Boeser are more straight line players at times.

Agreed that it shows that Petey needs a creative player to play off of, even a relatively 'low value' one.

Like, if Burakovsky made less money he'd be a great buy low candidate at his current trade value.

Sounds like a match made in Tim Stutzle heaven...

Yeah, that's actually a great example of a guy he would vibe with.

However, I know Ottawa is solid defensively this year and he would detract a bit from that. But if you can insulate him properly you could get him for cheap and he could go off with Stutzle and Stutzle could benefit offensively as well.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Flames got hosed in that Lindholm to Van trade.

I cant believe they ate Kuzmenko's 5.5 mil contract that had term.

To make it worse, the trade was with a divisional rival.

Whats the going rate these days in trying to off -load a 5.5mil Contract with term?

1st round, 2nd pick? 2x 1st round pick

Canucks gave up 1st rnd pick , that probably cancels out the 1.5 years of Kuzemnko that Calgary ate.

Heck you can even make a case that Canucks paid 1st and Bruztewicz to get rid of Kuzmenko.

It means for Lindholm, the most coveted trade asset at least years deadline was bought with
Jurmo, 4th round pick

at worst, for Lindholm , they paid Bruz, Jurmo, 4th.

Canucks were given cap space that allowed them to have Lindholm for a playoff run, in which they replaced with Debrusk who is now leading the team in goals.

 

[Bgav]

Dude cost himself millions not going to Edmonton. He's not great but you'd think he'd have done pretty f***ing well on the wing of either McDavid or Draisaitl.

He got paid after his 39 goal szn?

 

[innitfam]

Lindholm didn't stick around in Vancouver but dealing Kuzmenko in itself turned out to be a big win. Canucks obviously have their own problems but this offense without DeBrusk would be a tire fire.

 

[Bounces R Way]

He's not a shooter though? He scored almost every Canucks goal his first season by picking up trash in front and around the net.

And then shooting it into the net. This season he'll have the puck in a prime scoring area and stickhandle it into the corner before trying to pass it through two defenders.

 

[Jumptheshark]

What gives with Andrei Kuzmenko of The Flames?:

2022-23 (Van.)
39 goals in 82 games
2023-24 (Van. and Calg.)
22 goals in 72 games
2024-25 (Calg.)
1 goal in 32 games

That's quite a slippery slope! And only 31 shots on goal this season. I mean, he plays almost 15 minutes per game, so you'd think a recent 40-goal guy would be positioning himself to get more than 2 shots every 3 games, even if he's stuck on the second or third line.

What's the deal here?

There is a reason nucks traded him. He is a guy who if not motivated the right way, he is dead weight

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

Flames got hosed in that Lindholm to Van trade.

I cant believe they ate Kuzmenko's 5.5 mil contract that had term.

To make it worse, the trade was with a divisional rival.

Whats the going rate these days in trying to off -load a 5.5mil Contract with term?

1st round, 2nd pick? 2x 1st round pick

Canucks gave up 1st rnd pick , that probably cancels out the 1.5 years of Kuzemnko that Calgary ate.

Heck you can even make a case that Canucks paid 1st and Bruztewicz to get rid of Kuzmenko.

It means for Lindholm, the most coveted trade asset at least years deadline was bought with
Jurmo, 4th round pick

at worst, for Lindholm , they paid Bruz, Jurmo, 4th.

Canucks were given cap space that allowed them to have Lindholm for a playoff run, in which they replaced with Debrusk who is now leading the team in goals.

Cap space is irrelevant for the Flames this season, and so is Kuzmenko's on-ice usefulness to be honest.
Basically CGY just paid ~10$M in cash for a 1st round pick, Brzustewicz and Jurmo.

 

[Superlative Soup]

Flames fans really thought they stole him last year

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

One hit wonder.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Cap space is irrelevant for the Flames this season, and so is Kuzmenko's on-ice usefulness to be honest.
Basically CGY just paid ~10$M in cash for a 1st round pick, Brzustewicz and Jurmo.

Cap Space is king in the NHL. Calgary having a lot of it last year/this year just means they could have weaponized it. Especially if they were going to be alleviating a division rival of cap problems.

Canucks couldnt make any moves last year without offloading Kuzmenko's 5.5mil AAV with term. They were cap stuck.

Patrick Marleau cost a 1st round pick for Tortonto to get rid of.....and Marleau's contract didnt have term like Kuzmenkos. There's been lots of other examples that have been set on what getting rid of cap space should cost.

Like i said, at the very least..... The Canucks 1st round pick to Calgary is for eating Kuzmenko's contract and cap relief for Canucks.

That means the rest of the trade is Lindholm for a Bruz, Jurmo, 4th.

I dont think Calgary got enough value at all in that trade.

Even if you say , The Flames are not a playoff team so they dont need the cap.

Well if they didnt have Kuzmenko this year, they would have 5.5 mil more cap space to take in more expiring cap contracts in exchange for 1st round assets or top prospects.

 

[Mobiandi]

Bizarre player. Probably off to Russia in the summer but could see the Canes thinking they can fix him