Andrei Kuzmenko, the Vancouver Canucks winger, is no stranger to adversity this season. Despite coming off a remarkable 74-point campaign last year, Kuzmenko's current season has been marred by underperformance and injuries. The Russian athlete, who inked a two-year deal worth $11 million, has found himself grappling with a slump that's seen him score just 15 points — four goals and 11 assists — across 21 games.
His struggle for form has led to him being scratched from the lineup twice as a healthy scratch. Adding to his challenges, Kuzmenko sustained a facial injury after a deflected shot from teammate JT Miller during Wednesday’s clash with the New York Islanders. While the injury sidelined him temporarily, he is poised for a return to the ice soon.
Kuzmenko's Lone Bright Spot in Loss to Vegas
In the recent game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena, Kuzmenko managed to net a goal despite the team's 4-1 defeat. The play unfolded as Miller seized a loose puck, drove to the net, and delivered a pass to Kuzmenko, who fired a wrist shot past goaltender Logan Thompson of the Golden Knights. However, Kuzmenko was critical of his contribution post-game, emphasizing the need for improvement regardless of his scoring efforts.
"It doesn’t matter if I scored ... it doesn’t matter if my score doesn’t help the team," Kuzmenko reflected. "I need to be better, this I understand. That’s why I haven’t played (as much) this season."
The top line, featuring Kuzmenko alongside Ilia Mikheyev and Elias Pettersson, has not lived up to expectations, being overshadowed by the second-line's performance both in terms of scoring and overall play during the NHL’s first quarter. Pettersson, at center, has notched 30 points with nine goals and 21 assists, while right winger Mikheyev has contributed 12 points through seven goals and five assists.
Coach Tocchet's Call for Improvement
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has made his expectations clear: he wants more from Kuzmenko. Describing the winger's season performance as merely "OK," Tocchet has called for increased effort and hinted at a need for Kuzmenko to "play a little harder." This sentiment followed the decision to bench Kuzmenko for back-to-back 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 of Kuzmenko's game that require attention: intensified engagement 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 goal and his third-period performance against the Golden Knights did not go unnoticed. Tocchet commended the winger's focused play, noting, "If you watch his shifts in the third, he was going A to B. He wasn’t zigzagging, backward skating defending; he was going forward."
Kuzmenko's Perspective and Outlook
For his part, Kuzmenko is well aware of the high expectations set by his coach and remains committed to meeting them. He acknowledges the statistical drop in his performance this year but remains steadfast in his focus to aid the team's efforts.
Addressing questions about his mental state amid a nearly month-long goal drought in 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 towards progress, Kuzmenko is determined to use his recent performance as a stepping stone for the upcoming game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday. His resilience and determination could be the catalyst the Canucks need to turn their season around, starting with Kuzmenko rediscovering the form that earned him his lucrative contract.