Player Discussion Andrei Kuzmenko

[PuckMunchkin]

Looks exactly like Hoglander after Bruce got his hands on him. The flashes of clear brilliance, drowned out by plays overly concerned with positioning on a chalk board. Takes away his bite.

Kuz may not be the 1st forechecker, but he's a pitbull with finesse once he gets hold of that loose puck.

Needs to play a bit meaner. Guy is built to hurt people.

The backcheck and dzone coverage is the issue.

He is completely lost there.

Also his refusal to shoot the puck will drive any coach insane when he isn't shooting at a +20% clip.

 

[vanuck]

I love the guy and I still think Tocchet pushed all the wrong buttons here and he'll break out again in a different situation.

But he's pretty clearly done here. Sometimes a player and a coach just don't mesh together and you have to move on. And when everything else Tocchet has done has been so spot-on, fair enough.

For where the team is at right now, that cap space would be better spent on Joshua/Blueger extensions.

If you were Tocchet, what would you've done differently? It's hard to fault him when everyone else has responded so well to his coaching, but you can't help but feel that something was missed here with Kuzmenko...

 

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Looked really good tonight.

 

[Grub]

Kuzmenko out for the last 30 seconds of the game says something. Good for him to finally have a good game.

 

[Tables of Stats]

I didn't see the Leafs game, but Kuzmenko was really good tonight. I hope he can build on this and find a way to earn Tocchet's trust.

Engaged Kuzmenko and disengaged Kuzmenko play like entirely different people.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

I didn't see the Leafs game, but Kuzmenko was really good tonight. I hope he can build on this and find a way to earn Tocchet's trust.

Engaged Kuzmenko and disengaged Kuzmenko play like entirely different people.

I’m hoping it’s an engagement issue and not a “I don’t understand and have no interest in playing defense” thing. I think his game has not had confidence, I don’t think it’s an effort thing.

Which you could make an argument is worse. I’d much rather have someone who’s lost confidence than someone who just doesn’t get it.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

I’m hoping it’s an engagement issue and not a “I don’t understand and have no interest in playing defense” thing. I think his game has not had confidence, I don’t think it’s an effort thing.

Which you could make an argument is worse. I’d much rather have someone who’s lost confidence than someone who just doesn’t get it.

I doubt its about interest or willingness.

Did not catch the game but glad to hear he looked better.

 

[Svencouver]

Let Tocchet cook

 

[canuckking1]

His smile was back at the end of last nights game

 

[VanJack]

The fans clearly love this guy; and so do his teammates. When he's on his game, you can see the flashes of elite level talent.

If ever there was a guy you're pulling for to figure it all out and stay put in Vancouver, it's Kuzzy.

 

[Bleach Clean]

If you were Tocchet, what would you've done differently? It's hard to fault him when everyone else has responded so well to his coaching, but you can't help but feel that something was missed here with Kuzmenko...

You didn't ask me, but I would say: Be careful with your "non-negotiables". It would have allowed for more restrictive play with Kuzmenko, rather than outright scratches. That has to be jarring for a player with Kuzmenko's personality. 39 goals to healthy scratches in less than 50 games.... Now Kuzmenko is so much in his own head that he can't regain a consistent focus.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

You didn't ask me, but I would say: Be careful with your "non-negotiables". It would have allowed for more restrictive play with Kuzmenko, rather than outright scratches. That has to be jarring for a player with Kuzmenko's personality. 39 goals to healthy scratches in less than 50 games.... Now Kuzmenko is so much in his own head that he can't regain a consistent focus.

I don’t disagree, it doesn’t give him a pass in my books, but I don’t disagree.

 

[CanucksSayEh]

Plays like he made in OT are exactly what he needs to be doing. He may not be fast, but he's a powerful skater, and built like a forklift. He uses his strength around the net with the puck, needs to learn to use that all over the ice.

Would be stupid to bail on player mid way through their 2nd season, who has shown 40g ability, regardless of if he's a bit older. The sophomore slump isn't about age, it's about learning the NHL career.

 

[VanJack]

To play for Rick Tocchet, the overriding requirement is 'consistency' night after night. And that's been Kuzmenko's downfall.

After a lights-out performance against Chicago, he reverted to the same old problems against the Blues. Risky hoper passes; and just not hard enough on the puck.

In fact I've hated that line with Pettersson, Kuzmenko and Mikheyev since the start of the season. Not a co-incidence that Pettersson has one of his worst games this month when they were reunited.

Just not sure it will ever happen for Kuzmenko in Vancouver.....Last season under Boudreau when they were languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference, Kuzmenko was filling the net, I think if he was traded to a lottery team he'd recover his scoring touch in a hurry. Some guys just aren't made for defense and backchecking.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Seemed to be all over the place.

Terrible turnovers and a bad 4min penalty.

Defensive coverage problems.


Able to create some offense, tho the mik kuz line just does not do anything.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

To play for Rick Tocchet, the overriding requirement is 'consistency' night after night. And that's been Kuzmenko's downfall.

After a lights-out performance against Chicago, he reverted to the same old problems against the Blues. Risky hoper passes; and just not hard enough on the puck.

In fact I've hated that line with Pettersson, Kuzmenko and Mikheyev since the start of the season. Not a co-incidence that Pettersson has one of his worst games this month when they were reunited.

Just not sure it will ever happen for Kuzmenko in Vancouver.....Last season under Boudreau when they were languishing at the bottom of the Western Conference, Kuzmenko was filling the net, I think if he was traded to a lottery team he'd recover his scoring touch in a hurry. Some guys just aren't made for defense and backchecking.

Bang on. I think while good intentioned, Kuz is trying to score his way back into the good books which makes him do these hoper passes, and we know coach hates forcing a play when there isn’t one. It’s not like Tocchet has it out for him, in fact there were multiple times tonight where I would have benched him, and then he made a good defensive play in OT.

I think he plays well with little structure, where the coach just lets him go which is fine for a team without cup aspirations in the immediate. I don’t think his value is same as last year but it’s enough to get a return I’d be mildly impressed with. If I was SJ Kux would Be near the top as far as players for next year.

 

[canuckking1]

Matches the eye test. He's just not skating hard at all

 

[Jyrki]

Matches the eye test. He's just not skating hard at all

Maybe I'm just not watching him closely but I wouldn't have pegged Suter as being one of the slowest guys out there.

 

[canuckking1]

Maybe I'm just not watching him closely but I wouldn't have pegged Suter as being one of the slowest guys out there.

From my eye test, he plays a slow game but is always in the right places

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Maybe I'm just not watching him closely but I wouldn't have pegged Suter as being one of the slowest guys out there.

Same.

Was surprised he was up higher than Brock & Joshua.

 

[rea]

Matches the eye test. He's just not skating hard at all

Based on these metrics, none of canucks top line guys are at bottom or top sans boeser. He hasn't been put in best position to gain that speed, but he's also had less opportunities with the healthy scratches and benching, along w linemates. This statistic is not able to be measured based on alot of factors like style of team play, breakouts etc. If you give mcdavid from blue line to blue line to gain a proper measure of speed, but give Quinn full length of ice to see the highest rate, what do you think the registered speeds would be?

Using the a amount of 20mph bursts or wtvr speed you wanna use, is like trying to tell someone Ryan McLeod is a better player because he is doing it more frequently than say jt Miller. That could be a negative in many aspects if they are constantly chasing plays backwards

 

[geebster]

Maybe I'm just not watching him closely but I wouldn't have pegged Suter as being one of the slowest guys out there.

This is for 20 mph bursts. Suter knows that Roger's arena is in a school zone and keeps it at 19.9. He's a man of honour - something HF knows nothing about.

 

[tantalum]

Speed bursts are good but they aren't the measure of a player. Suter isn't fast but he doesn't need to be. He's in position all the time. His game isn't speed. And as always the puck moves faster than anyone can skate. Team play and system trumps individual speed.

 

[kmwtrucks]

there was a rumor chicago looked at kuzmenko with his Salary next year the return is probably nothing. But that said it could make sense. free's up 5.5 mil next year and the prorated salary this year. Peterson and Hronek are going to get probably 7.5 mil extra, and the dead cap hit for larson starts at 2.4 next year.

 

[Canadian Canuck]

Keep him. Do not sell low.