The tension between Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet and Andrei Kuzmenko has seemed to hit a boiling point to start the new year. Kuzmenko has been repeatedly scratched this season after scoring 39 goals last year for the Canucks. After a reportedly good meeting before Christmas break, Tocchet has gotten to the end of his fuse with Kuzmenko, according to Elliotte Friedman.
This is terrible news for Canucks fans. Kuzmenko is a promising player who clearly needs to find the right fit in the right systems. This season he has just 8 goals and 11 assists in 32 games. It was anticipated that his scoring might slow a little, but there is clearly a gap between Kuzmenko's play style and Tocchet's coaching style.
The Canucks need to make a decision on what they want to do with Kuzmenko, especially as the trade deadline approaches. They could get a big return for him in a potential trade, as he is a potential 40-goal scorer on a $5.5 Million AAV, for just 2 years. Right now, the Canucks are waisting him away in the pressbox for nothing.
As the deadline approaches, we will see what the Canucks decide to do with Kuzmenko.
POLL | ||
JANVIER 5 | 161 ANSWERS Canucks Head Coach Officially Gives Up on 40-Goal Scorer: Reveals He's ‘At the End of His Fuse' Do you think the Canucks should trade Kuzmenko? | ||
Yes | 90 | 55.9 % |
No | 71 | 44.1 % |
LIST OF POLLS |
G | A | PTS | ||
Tage Thompson | 2 | - | 2 | |
Leon Draisaitl | - | 2 | 2 | |
Evan Bouchard | 1 | - | 1 | |
Dylan Cozens | 1 | - | 1 | |
Calle Jarnkrok | 1 | - | 1 | |
Dylan Larkin | 1 | - | 1 | |
Artturi Lehkonen | 1 | - | 1 | |
Steven Lorentz | 1 | - | 1 | |
Darnell Nurse | 1 | - | 1 | |
William Nylander | 1 | - | 1 | |
David Perron | 1 | - | 1 | |
Alex Tuch | 1 | - | 1 | |
Simon Benoit | - | 1 | 1 | |
Max Domi | - | 1 | 1 | |
Claude Giroux | - | 1 | 1 | |
David Kampf | - | 1 | 1 | |
Matthew Knies | - | 1 | 1 | |
Nathan MacKinnon | - | 1 | 1 | |
Mitch Marner | - | 1 | 1 | |
Connor McDavid | - | 1 | 1 | |
Complete stats |
STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Capitals | 64 | 42 | 14 | 8 | 92 | |
Jets | 65 | 44 | 17 | 4 | 92 | |
Stars | 64 | 42 | 20 | 2 | 86 | |
Panthers | 64 | 40 | 21 | 3 | 83 | |
Golden Knights | 63 | 38 | 19 | 6 | 82 | |
Hurricanes | 64 | 38 | 22 | 4 | 80 | |
Maple Leafs | 63 | 38 | 22 | 3 | 79 | |
Oilers | 63 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 78 | |
Lightning | 63 | 37 | 22 | 4 | 78 | |
Avalanche | 64 | 38 | 24 | 2 | 78 | |
Conference | Cumulative |