1. Tocchet and him don't mesh
2. He's currently benched
3. Wasting $5.5M in cap with another year to go
Atleast Boeser and Garland were playing. Kuz currently is not.
Even on the radio this morning they were speculating the odds of a Kuz trade now is 60/40.
The issue is where does he go and what for which is not easy.
So yes, they could still keep him for now but likely only because they cannot find the right fit.
Tocchet and Hall didn't mix, Tocchet and Keller didn't mix, Tocchet and Domi didn't mix, Tocchet and Kessel didn't mix, Tocchet and Dvorak didn't mix, Tocchet and OEL, ???
Are you seeing a trend here?
These are the higher skilled players that either asked outright or the rumours were flying about trade requests away from Tocchet coached teams. All these players did not have good seasons under Tocchet's coaching.
FA's will not want to come here if the Canucks turf Kuzmenko.
If Tocchet wants him gone he has to get Kuzmenko to ask to be traded, which if appears he trying with all his effort to do. Ice time equals points. Line assignment equals roles.
So he assigns a 2nd year player to a role he has never played with the weakest players on the team.
Oh ya, the next 40 goal scorer is just lining up to come here and sign a deal to be misallocated.
Did none of the fans or posters look at his record? Not just that he has never had a winning season as a head coach but the players that leave his teams. Of the outputs, scoring, of players on his teams.
I am a firm believer that a coach tries to make every player valuable not throw them under the bus and give them crap ice time.
Too long shifts, over a minute! Kuz gets roasted BUT 10 other players have multiple shifts over 1 minute each game and not just defencemen or the 2nd period. EP had 2 over 2 minutes.
Tocchet treats everyone fair, ya right, over two months ago Miller was benched for 3 shifts, TWO MONTHS and THREE SHIFTS! But the media talks about it like it was just yesterday to promote this railroading of Kuzmenko.
Do you want players that want to be here, 40 goal scorer's that WANT to be here?
Or do you want players that can't be traded that don't want to be here? That score at the cost of other players.
The reputation of Vancouver Canucks is already one of remaking the loser culture and mess of the front office.
Does it really need a reputation amongst players of unloyalty, two faced and quick to let the media criticize and run players out of town.
Tocchett HAS TO GET KUZMENKO TO ASK TO BE TRADED! So with the media's help they are trying hard to keep public opinion on their side.
Too early for trades, they have to wait until closer to the TDL.
Any trades right now one team may have too much leverage.