Vancouver Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko is acutely aware of the hurdles he's encountering this season. Despite securing a two-year, $11 million contract on the back of an impressive 74-point haul last campaign, Kuzmenko is experiencing a downturn in form.
The Russian forward has tallied only 15 points, consisting of four goals and 11 assists, across 21 games. His underwhelming performance has led to him being scratched from the lineup twice as a healthy scratch. Adding to his woes, Kuzmenko is currently dealing with a facial injury sustained from a deflected shot by teammate JT Miller during Wednesday’s clash with the New York Islanders. Although he's been kept out of the lineup as a precaution, expectations are high for his imminent return to the ice.
Struggling to Make an Impact
In Thursday’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena, Kuzmenko managed to score a solitary goal when Miller seized on a loose puck, drove to the net, and set up Kuzmenko for a wrist shot that flew past Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson. Nevertheless, the Canucks fell to a 4-1 defeat.
"It doesn't matter if I scored ... it doesn't matter if my score doesn't help the team," Kuzmenko remarked post-game. "I need to be better; this I understand. That's why I haven't played (as much) this season."
The top line, which features Kuzmenko alongside Ilia Mikheyev and Elias Pettersson, hasn't matched the output of their second-line counterparts in scoring or general play during the first quarter of the NHL season. Pettersson, the center for the Canucks, has notched 30 points with nine goals and 21 assists. Meanwhile, right winger Mikheyev has contributed 12 points with seven goals and five assists.
Coach Tocchet's Expectations
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has made it clear that he expects more from Kuzmenko, describing his current season performance as merely "OK" and encouraging the winger to "play a little harder." Tocchet relegated Kuzmenko to the bench for consecutive 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 expressed 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 been explicit about his demands: Kuzmenko must show greater tenacity in puck battles along the boards and exhibit swifter defensive transitions in the neutral zone.
"Those are the little things that I value around here. It's not just about scoring goals. Goal scorers are going to go through slumps," Tocchet said. "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 loss, Kuzmenko's goal and overall performance on Thursday drew praise, particularly for his focused play in the third period.
"If you watch his shifts in the third, he was going A to B," Tocchet observed. "He wasn't zigzagging, backward skating defending; he was going forward."
Kuzmenko himself is cognizant of his coach's high standards and expresses a commitment to improvement. He acknowledges the concern over his modest four-goal tally this year and pledges to stay concentrated on contributing to the team's success.
The winger also brushed aside queries regarding his mental state amid a prolonged scoring drought that spanned nearly the entire month of November.
"What interesting questions about mentality. It's an interesting moment for mentality, for personality, for me," Kuzmenko said, smiling. "It's simple with the hard work mentality, work in the gym, it's simple."
As the Canucks prepare to face the Calgary Flames on Saturday, Kuzmenko is looking to build on Thursday’s performance and meet the challenges set forth by his coach and the demands of the league.
With the season progressing, all eyes will be on Kuzmenko to see if he can recapture the form that earned him his lucrative contract and help propel the Canucks forward in their campaign. The pressure is on, but Kuzmenko's attitude suggests he is ready to rise to the occasion and deliver the results his team needs.