Confirmed Signing with Link: [VAN] Canucks sign free agent F Andrei Kuzmenko (1 year, $950k)

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

Unless you have a crystal ball that you use to see how he is playing 10 years from now, your analysis of him is just your biased opinion. I bet if he played on your team, you would praise him as the next Kucherov. How can you even judge a player from a small sample size then predict how he will be playing 5 years or 10 years from now? You probably didnt even know Nuke will become this good, and you probably wrote him off once he played in Dallas. Most experts are saying he is very talented and are showing his stats that is comparable to a superstar. His scoring chances are higher than even Pettersson. Am saying if he converts on more of his scoring chances, he can put up multiple goals in a lot of games. He is just hesitant to shoot sometimes and sometimes he elects to pass or hold on to the puck and that can easily be fixed. He also was unlucky to have the puck either jumo over his stick or lose it when he had some open net chances and that could ve due to his timing be off. But once he adjusts to the smaller ice, and adjust to NHL play he will easily score those. He has impressed me a lot and he has tendency to go in front of net and deflect shots similar to the one he score last night. His versatility is what surprised me, as I was thinking he would be a perimeter player but he is not that at all.

LOL I have posted on Nuke before and followed him ever since he was not drafted in the top three of his draft year. Thought is was a crime how Ruff handled him in Dallas after he fell to them. Almost ruined him as a player. So what Nuke is doing now has surprised me not because of his talent but because of the complete mindf____ that Ruff did on him there. I am really happy with what Nuke has done but he is the except not the norm.

As for Kuzmenko I am happy he is doing well for Couver ( I know you guys hate that) but he is not doing anything I was not expecting and I have seen some of his games especially his last two and my opinion has not changed. He looks like a 50 to 60 point 2nd line winger with strong offensive skills.

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

It's just for this season though. At his best he can be a PPG player in the league i.e. on par with guys like Buchnevich and Tarasenko.

Maybe but I would be more inclined to agree with you if he showed this at 23 and not 26. Very few players improve much after 26 even when they are rookies.

 

[Play]

Kuzmenko and Pettersson have been brilliant

 

[jackjohnson]

Maybe but I would be more inclined to agree with you if he showed this at 23 and not 26. Very few players improve much after 26 even when they are rookies.

Look at Miller...He went from 3rd line center in TB putting up 25 points to 99 points at age of 29. He was 25 or 26 when he was in TB playing as 3rd liner and many fans were upset we gave up a 1st round pick for him and he was signed too. So players do improve after 26, there is no law that says they stop developing

 

[Kshahdoo]

Maybe but I would be more inclined to agree with you if he showed this at 23 and not 26. Very few players improve much after 26 even when they are rookies.

I'd say his problems weren't about skill, they were mental. And mentality is the thing you can improve till forever. And he's playing with a very good, probably elite center who he has good chemistry with. So 60 points is probably pretty conservative take.

 

[jackjohnson]

Maybe but I would be more inclined to agree with you if he showed this at 23 and not 26. Very few players improve much after 26 even when they are rookies.

Dude where are you now? If he puts 100 points this season would you still say he is not close to Buchnevich or Nuke You concentrate too much on age, especially for a player that is playing for the first time in NHL but has been a proven star in KHL. Not everything is linear and not every player follows the same trajectory when it comes to improvement.

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

Look at Miller...He went from 3rd line center in TB putting up 25 points to 99 points at age of 29. He was 25 or 26 when he was in TB playing as 3rd liner and many fans were upset we gave up a 1st round pick for him and he was signed too. So players do improve after 26, there is no law that says they stop developing

Miller went from 47 points in Tampa Bay as a 3rd line center with limited PP minutes to 72 points as a first line winger with PP1 time. He did not go from 22 points to 99. That was a case of usage not development. Until Vancouver he was always used in 2/3C role. The only thing Benning got right in his whole time in Vancouver was trading for him. But Miller is not a good comparison for Kuzmenko. If you want a comparison here is a good one since he did it at 26. Micheal Bunting 2020-2021 13 points. 2021 to 2022 60 points. Would you now consider him an elite winger in the same category as Tank,Kuch or even Nuke? We are talking about Kuzmenko having a 60 ish point season and comparing that to Kuch.

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

I'd say his problems weren't about skill, they were mental. And mentality is the thing you can improve till forever. And he's playing with a very good, probably elite center who he has good chemistry with. So 60 points is probably pretty conservative take.

I agree his issues were about the mental aspect of the game. But skill for forwards typically peaks at 26. Players at this point are developed skill wise. very few suddenly skate faster or shoot harder. We will see how he does but 60 is a pretty good number for any rookie regardless of age.

 

[jackjohnson]

Miller went from 47 points in Tampa Bay as a 3rd line center with limited PP minutes to 72 points as a first line winger with PP1 time. He did not go from 22 points to 99. That was a case of usage not development. Until Vancouver he was always used in 2/3C role. The only thing Benning got right in his whole time in Vancouver was trading for him. But Miller is not a good comparison for Kuzmenko. If you want a comparison here is a good one since he did it at 26. Micheal Bunting 2020-2021 13 points. 2021 to 2022 60 points. Would you now consider him an elite winger in the same category as Tank,Kuch or even Nuke? We are talking about Kuzmenko having a 60 ish point season and comparing that to Kuch.

Dude why do you think all the players that might start playing in NHL at 25 or 26 year old will all be just like Bunting? You seem to have a one track mind

 

[Kshahdoo]

I agree his issues were about the mental aspect of the game. But skill for forwards typically peaks at 26. Players at this point are developed skill wise. very few suddenly skate faster or shoot harder. We will see how he does but 60 is a pretty good number for any rookie regardless of age.

That's what I say about. His skills always were top-notch, it was other problems that prevented him from breaking through.

Look at him now. His skate is very good by NHL standarts. His shot is very good/great by NHL standarts. His hands/stickhandling is very good/great by NHL standarts. The most importantly, his IQ is very good/great by NHL standarts.

So his skills are on a star level or even better than just a star. Add to this his chemistry with Pettersson, and you'll get a very optimistic projection.

 

[InfinityIggy]

He’s already got 21 shots on net and he’s looked pretty good. Eventually it’ll start going in the net for him.

Look at me. I am the coach now.

 

[Djp]

Miller went from 47 points in Tampa Bay as a 3rd line center with limited PP minutes to 72 points as a first line winger with PP1 time. He did not go from 22 points to 99. That was a case of usage not development. Until Vancouver he was always used in 2/3C role. The only thing Benning got right in his whole time in Vancouver was trading for him. But Miller is not a good comparison for Kuzmenko. If you want a comparison here is a good one since he did it at 26. Micheal Bunting 2020-2021 13 points. 2021 to 2022 60 points. Would you now consider him an elite winger in the same category as Tank,Kuch or even Nuke? We are talking about Kuzmenko having a 60 ish point season and comparing that to Kuch.

i look at that as a benefit from how he is used or who he plays with.

therr are many players 2ho clicked with some linemates and elevated their points. It drops when moved elsewhere.

i look at wayne Simmonds similarly. In LA he was bottom 6 no PP then plays first line with PP1 time. Much of his point increase can be attributed to PP and situational use on a top line.

 

[EverTheCynic]

Guy picked us because he would get the most opportunity here. Top line minutes. PP1 deployment. Playing with some really good players on a really bad team.

Hes auditioning for a big long term contract from a team who isnt a dumpster fire. And its going real well so far for him. Guy has been fantastic.

 

[jackjohnson]

Guy picked us because he would get the most opportunity here. Top line minutes. PP1 deployment. Playing with some really good players on a really bad team.

Hes auditioning for a big long term contract from a team who isnt a dumpster fire. And its going real well so far for him. Guy has been fantastic.

playing with some really good players on a bad team?? bad teams dont have really good players lol

 

[EP to Kuzmenko]

For those who don't think Kuzmenko can hit 60 pts, he is now on pace for 75 points. 60 points isn't impossible. Esp with PP1 and playing with EP40.

 

[Atoyot]

playing with some really good players on a bad team?? bad teams dont have really good players lol

Yep. Hertl, Meier, Karlsson, Couture, all not really good players because they're on a bad team.

 

[Cogburn]

playing with some really good players on a bad team?? bad teams dont have really good players lol

That is profoundly wrong.

Edmonton was a bad team with McDavid for a number of years. Karlsson is killing it on San Jose. Zegras is in Anaheim. Mario Lemieux's last couple stints with the Penguins were bad enough to result in Crosby, and it was still a bad team afterwards. The Great One himself missed the playoffs in his final two years too. I wouldn't kick Gostisbehere or Keller off my team this year either.

By definition, Bedard is very likely to go to a very bad team.

 

[jackjohnson]

That is profoundly wrong.

Edmonton was a bad team with McDavid for a number of years. Karlsson is killing it on San Jose. Zegras is in Anaheim. Mario Lemieux's last couple stints with the Penguins were bad enough to result in Crosby, and it was still a bad team afterwards. The Great One himself missed the playoffs in his final two years too. I wouldn't kick Gostisbehere or Keller off my team this year either.

By definition, Bedard is very likely to go to a very bad team.

But Canucks have lots of forward depth and really good players on the top 2 lines. Their D is bad, yes but the teams you mentioned have very little depth at forward. We have Miller, Horvat, Pettersson, Garland, Boeser, Mikheyev, Pearson etc. who are pretty good. Canucks have lots of offense, look at their PP% and how they can explode for 8 goals. So Kuzmenko didnt really go to a complete trash team with zero forward depth.

 

[Cogburn]

But Canucks have lots of forward depth and really good players on the top 2 lines. Their D is bad, yes but the teams you mentioned have very little depth at forward. We have Miller, Horvat, Pettersson, Garland, Boeser, Mikheyev, Pearson etc. who are pretty good. Canucks have lots of offense, look at their PP% and how they can explode for 8 goals. So Kuzmenko didnt really go to a complete trash team with zero forward depth.

Yes, Vancouver has pretty good offensive tools. I'd love to be wrong a few weeks or months from now, but we are a bad team.

That isn't what your statement was though.

 

[jackjohnson]

Yes, Vancouver has pretty good offensive tools. I'd love to be wrong a few weeks or months from now, but we are a bad team.

That isn't what your statement was though.

I think the defense and defensive coverage is bad and worst than last year due to that idiot Mike Yeo. Otherwise we cant be last in PK.

 

[Canuck Luck]

For those who don't think Kuzmenko can hit 60 pts, he is now on pace for 75 points. 60 points isn't impossible. Esp with PP1 and playing with EP40.

i still remember some posters saying 20-30 points would be his ceiling and thinking anyone projecting even 40-50 were crazy LOL

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

At <1M he should fetch a good return at the deadline the way he's playing.

 

[Kshahdoo]

At <1M he should fetch a good return at the deadline the way he's playing.

If they trade him against his will what FA will they be able to sign next time?

Of course they can make a nice trick, like trade him at deadline and then resign him as UFA after the season is over.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

If they trade him against his will what FA will they be able to sign next time?

Of course they can make a nice trick, like trade him at deadline and then resign him as UFA after the season is over.

He's a pending UFA, how would it be against his will?

If they can't get an extension done prior & are out of it they should capitalize on his value

 

[Kshahdoo]

He's a pending UFA, how would it be against his will?

If they can't get an extension done prior & are out of it they should capitalize on his value

Well, maybe you're right.