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 | ||
Mitch Marner | 2 | - | 2 | |
Logan Cooley | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
William Nylander | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Jack McBain | 1 | - | 1 | |
Dylan Guenther | - | 1 | 1 | |
Michael Kesselring | - | 1 | 1 | |
Fraser Minten | - | 1 | 1 | |
Mikhail Sergachev | - | 1 | 1 | |
Chris Tanev | - | 1 | 1 | |
John Tavares | - | 1 | 1 | |
Simon Benoit | - | - | - | |
Nick Bjugstad | - | - | - | |
Michael Carcone | - | - | - | |
Ian Cole | - | - | - | |
Lawson Crouse | - | - | - | |
Connor Dewar | - | - | - | |
Oliver Ekman-Larsson | - | - | - | |
Nikita Grebenkin | - | - | - | |
Barrett Hayton | - | - | - | |
Pontus Holmberg | - | - | - | |
Complete stats |
STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 21 | 17 | 4 | - | 34 | |
Wild | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 30 | |
Devils | 23 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 30 | |
Hurricanes | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 29 | |
Golden Knights | 21 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 20 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 27 | |
Flames | 21 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 27 | |
Stars | 19 | 13 | 6 | - | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 19 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 25 | |
Conference | Cumulative |