Is Kuzmenko’s Canucks future in question after latest benching?
The Vancouver Canucks and Andrei Kuzmenko have gotten along like oil and water this season. The sophomore has failed to build on a wonderful rookie season and has instead spent much of this year stapled to the bench, that is when he’s in the lineup at all.
During the team’s most recent 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes, Kuzmenko spent the entire third period — and much of the second — sitting on the bench. He finished with just 5:22 of five-on-five ice time, the lowest number on the team by far. Despite playing so little, he still managed to be on the ice for the lone goal against.
With each passing game that Kuzmenko spends stapled to the bench, it gets more likely that he will be included in a possible upcoming trade. The team is still reportedly looking to upgrade and could use another top-six forward or right-handed defenceman.
Thus far through January, Kuzmenko has zero points in eight games. That’s despite spending lots of time on the top power play unit and the Canucks scoring an average of four goals per game during that time.
Very few expected Kuzmenko to match the 39 goals he managed last season, buoyed by a lofty 27.3% shooting percentage. However, the decline has been more swift and aggressive than expected.
Over the entire season thus far, he has just eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 39 games.
The Russian winger is an offensive specialist. If he’s not getting on the score sheet, he’s often not going to be contributing massively in other facets of the game. That hasn’t helped him earn any favours from head coach Rick Tocchet, which has resulted in Kuzmenko being given not much room for error.
On the other hand, there’s another forward who has been a shining example of how to earn the coach’s trust. Nils Höglander is having the most successful season of his young career, in large part because of the smaller details in his game.
“He makes a mistake, I can’t just sit the guy on the bench,” Tocchet said about Höglander after the Canucks’ win over the Coyotes. “He’s a guy that I think earns a little bit more rope and I’ve given him more rope. That last two minutes he kept the puck in their end. That was a good big play.”
If Kuzmenko stands any chance of getting back in Tocchet’s good books, it starts with his play away from the puck. However, that’s never been the goalscorer’s strength and it may be easier for the Canucks to trade the player than force him to change his game.