Andrei Kuzmenko of the Vancouver Canucks is candid about the hurdles he's encountering in the current NHL season. Following a previous campaign where he tallied an impressive 74 points, the Russian winger's production has seen a downturn, despite securing a lucrative two-year deal worth $11 million. In the first 21 games, Kuzmenko has amassed just 15 points, comprising four goals and 11 assists, leading to him being benched as a healthy scratch on two occasions.
The challenges for Kuzmenko have been compounded by a recent facial injury sustained from a deflected shot by teammate JT Miller in a game against the New York Islanders. This incident forced him to miss subsequent games as a precautionary measure, though his return to the ice is imminent.
In a recent matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena, Kuzmenko managed to score a solitary goal. The play unfolded as Miller seized a loose puck, charged towards the net, and delivered a pass to Kuzmenko who then fired a wrist shot past the Golden Knights' goaltender Logan Thompson. Despite this effort, the Canucks fell short, losing 4-1.
"It doesn't matter if I scored ... it doesn't matter if my score doesn't help the team," Kuzmenko reflected post-game. "I need to be better, this I understand. That's why I haven't played (as much) this season."
Line Comparisons
The Canucks' top line, featuring Kuzmenko alongside Ilia Mikheyev and Elias Pettersson, has not matched the output of their second-line counterparts in terms of scoring and overall impact during the initial quarter of the NHL season. Center Elias Pettersson has accumulated 30 points with nine goals and 21 assists, while right winger Ilya Mikheyev has contributed 12 points, with seven goals and five assists.
Coaching Perspectives
Rick Tocchet, the head coach of the Canucks, has expressed a desire for Kuzmenko to enhance his level of play, characterizing his current season's performance as "OK" but noting that there is significant room for improvement. Tocchet made the decision to bench Kuzmenko for back-to-back games against the Seattle Kraken and San Jose Sharks towards the end of November.
"He's got to get his game a little bit more sharpened up," Tocchet stated on November 27. "It’s not about last year, it’s about this year for us. And he's a guy that needed a reset."
Tocchet has been explicit about what he expects from Kuzmenko, emphasizing the need for greater intensity in puck battles along the boards and quicker defensive transitions in the neutral zone.
"Those are the little things that I value around here. It's not about just scoring goals. Goal scorers are going to go through slumps," explained Tocchet. "The little things matter. That's part of our staples and he has to understand that's the Bible for us around here."
Despite the loss to the Golden Knights, Kuzmenko's third-period performance drew praise from Tocchet, who appreciated his focused style of play.
"If you watch his shifts in the third, he was going A to B," Tocchet observed. "He wasn’t zigzagging, backward skating defending; he was going forward."
Kuzmenko himself acknowledges the high expectations set by his coach and is committed to improving. He is conscious of the statistical slump, particularly his mere four-goal tally for the year, yet remains determined to contribute to the team's success.
Dismissing concerns over his mental state amidst a nearly month-long goal drought in November, Kuzmenko responded with optimism. "What interesting questions about mentality. It’s an interesting moment for mentality, for personality, for me," Kuzmenko said, sporting a smile. "It’s simple with the hard work mentality, work in the gym, it’s simple."
Looking ahead, Kuzmenko is keen to build upon his latest performance when the Canucks face off against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, aiming to reignite his scoring touch and fulfill the expectations of both his coach and fans alike.