Canucks getting trade calls for Kuzmenko, but he might re-sign instead: report
Is Andrei Kuzmenko’s NHL future in Vancouver with the Canucks?
The 26-year-old Russian will have options after his first season in North America.
Kuzmenko has delivered on the offseason hype, which saw him courted by many NHL teams as a European free agent. But due to NHL rules, as a new player to the league, Kuzmenko was only permitted to sign a one-year entry-level contract worth $950,000 plus performance bonuses.
Consequently, Kuzmenko has one of the best bang-for-buck contracts in the entire league.
Kuzmenko leads all first-year players in goals (17) and points (35) but is 7.5 months too old to qualify for the Calder Trophy. To win Rookie of the Year, a player must not have celebrated his 26th birthday by September 15. Kuzmenko turned 26 on February 4 last year.
But with 52 days to go before the March 3 trade deadline, the Canucks have a decision to make.
Do they re-sign Kuzmenko, who has easily been their best winger this season, or trade him?
Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN’s Insider Trading segment today that there is trade interest around the league.
“Teams are calling,” said LeBrun, who noted that his cheap cap hit would be attractive to the many cap-strapped contenders looking to improve their teams.
LeBrun said that Canucks management hasn’t begun contract extension talks, but he expects they will soon.
“They want to try and see if they can sign him. I think the price starts at least $6 million a year on a bridge deal for Kuzmenko to stay in Vancouver, where by all accounts, he’s quite happy.”
What about Boeser?
The Canucks aren’t a contender, but they don’t have a lot of salary cap wiggle room either.
It’ll be next to impossible to hang onto all of their high-priced forwards. It would be reasonable to expect that re-signing Kuzmenko would mean Brock Boeser or Conor Garland — or perhaps both — would be shipped out.
Boeser’s agent has already been permitted to help facilitate a deal with another team.
LeBrun reported in The Athletic that teams “keep poking around” on Boeser and are “exploring it in a more realistic manner.”
If the Canucks find a willing trade partner for Boeser, they’d be dealing him with his value at an all-time low.
The 25-year-old has 23 points in 34 games, including just eight goals. He’s under contract for two more years after this season.
Follow Channels and Categories