After a breakout season that saw him notch an impressive 74 points, Vancouver Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko has encountered a series of challenges in the current NHL campaign. Despite securing a lucrative two-year deal worth $11 million, Kuzmenko's on-ice production has seen a noticeable dip, with the Russian athlete tallying just 15 points—four goals and 11 assists—over 21 games.
Kuzmenko's struggle to replicate last season's form has led to him being scratched from the lineup twice as a healthy scratch. Compounding his difficulties is a recent facial injury sustained when a shot from teammate JT Miller deflected off his face in Wednesday's game against the New York Islanders. While the injury has caused him to miss time as a precaution, expectations are high for his imminent return to the ice.
A Lone Bright Spot
In the midst of a challenging period, Kuzmenko managed to find the back of the net during Thursday's matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena. The play unfolded as Miller seized on a loose puck, driving towards the goal before serving up a pass to Kuzmenko, who delivered a wrist shot past Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson. Despite this effort, the Canucks fell to a 4-1 defeat.
"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."
The Canucks' top line, featuring Kuzmenko alongside Ilia Mikheyev and Elias Pettersson, has been overshadowed by their second-line counterparts in both scoring prowess and general play throughout the first quarter of the NHL season. While Pettersson has accumulated 30 points with nine goals and 21 assists, Mikheyev has contributed 12 points with seven goals and five assists.
Coach Tocchet's Expectations
Rick Tocchet, head coach of the Canucks, has made his expectations clear: he wants to see more effort and production from Kuzmenko, describing his season's performance thus far as merely "OK." Tocchet's desire for improvement led to Kuzmenko being benched for consecutive games against the Seattle Kraken and San Jose Sharks in late November.
"He’s got to get his game a little bit more sharpened up," Tocchet remarked 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 outlined specific areas where Kuzmenko needs to demonstrate improvement: heightened 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," Tocchet explained. "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 team's loss, Kuzmenko's third-period performance in Thursday's game drew praise from Tocchet, who noted a focused approach from the winger.
"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 standards set by his coach and expresses a commitment to meeting them. He is also cognizant of the scrutiny surrounding his four-goal tally this season and remains dedicated to contributing to the team's success.
Brushing aside questions about his mental state during a prolonged goal drought that spanned nearly all of November, Kuzmenko responded with a smile, "What interesting questions about mentality. It’s an interesting moment for mentality, for personality, for me. It’s simple with the hard work mentality, work in the gym, it’s simple."
With an eye toward continuous improvement, Kuzmenko looks to build on his latest performance as the Canucks prepare to take on the Calgary Flames on Saturday.