Tocchet talks forechecking with Kuzmenko a potential Canucks healthy scratch
Rick Tocchet wouldn’t confirm it, but it appears Andrei Kuzmenko is in danger of being a healthy scratch for the Vancouver Canucks again tonight.
Kuzmenko appeared to be the odd man out in line rushes at the morning skate in St. Louis, according to Canucks reporter Kate Pettersen. Linus Karlsson, who was just called up from Abbotsford, was skating on an all-Swedish fourth line with Nils Äman and Nils Höglander.
It appears that Sam Lafferty will play alongside Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev, while Pius Suter should line up with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser.
Some other notes from St. Louis:
– Sam Lafferty is skating on a line with Ilya Mikheyev & Elias Pettersson
– Looks like Nils Äman is back in on the 4th line with Nils Höglander and Linus KarlssonAndrei Kuzmenko did take some rushes swapping in and out with Höglander.
— Kate Pettersen (@CanucksReporter) January 4, 2024
If he doesn’t play, it’ll be the fifth time in 18 games Kuzmenko has sat out due to a coach’s decision. The Russian forward has 19 points (8-11-19) in 32 games and is well off his 39-goal, 74-point pace from a year ago.
Tocchet indicated that he hadn’t finalized his lineup for tonight, and he didn’t mention Kuzmenko by name. But the second-year NHLer played a team-low 11:48 last game, aside from Phil Di Giuseppe, who left the game early.
And when Tocchet was asked about his team’s play in the final 40 minutes against Ottawa, he listed some things that he has criticized Kuzmenko about in the past.
Notably, the forecheck.
“I think we just got away from our game. Our forecheck wasn’t there. When you don’t forecheck, and you’re standing around, they start blowing the zone and they start taking over the game. If you’re late, then you gotta get out and make sure you’re above people.”
Then when Tocchet was asked what he’s looking to see from whoever draws into the lineup, the forecheck was again the focus of the Canucks’ head coach.
“I just need some more guys that forecheck a little harder and come out with loose pucks. That’s when we’re at our best. There’s some jobs open for that sometimes. We need a consistent effort of forechecking right now.”