Canucks Notes: Pettersson, Hughes, Kuzmenko
Canucks center Elias Pettersson is the most prominent player among those eligible for restricted free agency this summer. Although talks were reportedly shelved heading into the season, there have been some discussions since then. Whether there will be more remains to be seen as Pettersson’s agent Pat Brisson told Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre that he’s unsure if there will be further talks on that front between now and the end of the season. Pettersson, who can break the all-time NHL record tonight for consecutive games with a game-winning goal (he’s currently at four), has 22 goals and 35 assists in 42 games and stands to land considerably more than his $8.82MM qualifying offer whenever a new agreement is eventually reached.
More from Vancouver:
- Defenseman Quinn Hughes has shown himself to be quite dynamic offensively throughout his NHL career. However, at least one person in Vancouver’s front office though felt he could be better utilized. In an appearance on the NHL Network (video link), former head coach Bruce Boudreau indicated that he was approached several times about making the 24-year-old a center, a request he rebuffed each time. Hughes is having a stellar season on the back end this season with 51 points in 42 games so far, making him a strong contender for the Norris Trophy so it’s safe to say keeping him on the back end was the right call.
- Things haven’t gone well for winger Andrei Kuzmenko in his sophomore year. After scoring 39 goals last year, he has just eight so far this season and has been healthy scratched five times. However, his agent told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link) that Kuzmenko is happy in Vancouver and isn’t looking to leave. The 27-year-old has another year left on his contract after this one with a $5.5MM price tag which would make finding a viable trade in which they receive full value a challenging proposition.
Latest On Vancouver Canucks Trade Deadline Strategy
Arguably the biggest surprise of this season has been the stunning success of the Vancouver Canucks. A team that once looked to be in a dire situation just a year ago is now 25-11-3, tied for fourth in the NHL in points.
The team’s pillars at each key position (forward, defenseman, goaltender) are playing to the absolute peak of their capabilities, with Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko each a candidate for the Norris and Vezina trophies, respectively. Center Elias Pettersson could very well be a candidate for the Hart Trophy as well, if the race for that award did not already figure to be a two-horse race between Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov.
The Canucks are in a position where they can legitimately consider treating 2023-24 as a “Stanley Cup or bust” sort of win-now campaign. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance wrote as much in a recent piece, positing that since “uncertainty looms beyond this year” regarding the futures of Petterson, Filip Hronek, other blueliners, and J.T. Miller, the Canucks could reasonably consider behaving like a true Stanley Cup contender at this year’s trade deadline. (subscription link)
If that ends up being the case, the Canucks have numerous trade possibilities in front of them. The team has already bolstered its defense with the acquisition of Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames, but it may not stop there. Drance specifically names Nashville Predator Dante Fabbro and former Canuck Chris Tanev as two of the team’s potential trade targets, with the two right-shot blueliners likely to replace either Noah Juulsen or Tyler Myers in the team’s regular lineup if acquired.
But while defense is an area that the Canucks might stand to improve, Drance writes that “a top-six forward is seen as an area of greater need” for Vancouver. Up front, much of the conversations regarding what the Canucks might do centers around forward Andrei Kuzmenko.
Although the 27-year-old had a stellar rookie season with 39 goals and 74 points in 2022-23, he’s lost his spot next to Pettersson this season and has been at times a healthy scratch.
While he’s still managed 19 points in 33 games and does factor in on the power play when in the lineup, head coach Rick Tocchet’s demands of his players away from the puck has led to Kuzmenko’s overall role eroding.
For what it’s worth, Drance notes that Kuzmenko’s agent, Dan Milstein, told The Athletic that “he and his client remain committed to making it work for Kuzmenko in Vancouver.” But although this isn’t a situation where a player is responding negatively to a reduced role and is seeking an exit, an exit could still very well be in store.
Moving Kuzmenko could clear as much as $5.5MM off of the Canucks’ books, which would open up significant new avenues for external additions. NHL teams are making calls on Kuzmenko’s availability, according to Drance, and one team reportedly is reportedly “showing real interest” in acquiring the Russian forward. His will be a name to look out for among fans of clubs in need of skilled additions up front.
In terms of who the Canucks could potentially acquire, Drance names two specific forward trade targets as he did on defense: Pittsburgh Penguins star Jake Guentzel and Buffalo Sabres winger Jordan Greenway. Guentzel, who the Canucks’ front office has familiarity with from their time in Pittsburgh, would be an absolutely massive addition. The pending unrestricted free agent would likely only be moved if its clear the Penguins are out of the playoff hunt by the deadline, and if he’s available he’d likely be the top name on the trade market. He’s scored 18 goals and 43 points this season and has two 40-goal seasons on his resume.
As for Greenway, the 26-year-old was traded to Buffalo just last season. The big six-foot-six power forward would add some size and snarl to the Canucks’ forward corps, something the team does not have in abundance. His acquisition cost would likely be far less steep than Guentzel’s, though he does come with an additional year on his contract at a $3MM cap hit.
Regardless of which particular player the Canucks ultimately target in earnest, one thing is clear: Vancouver is unlikely to sit this deadline out. They’re a team whose stellar form so far this season has inspired legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations, and with dreams of a championship come dreams of the game-changing deadline acquisition that pushes a team over the top.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Morning Notes: Senators Coaching Candidates, Kuzmenko, Atkinson
The Senators are at an uncertain precipice in their years-long rebuild. As their new core of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Thomas Chabot, Jakob Chychrun, and Jake Sanderson enters their primes, the team is no closer to securing their first playoff berth since losing in the 2017 Eastern Conference Final. That led new owner Michael Andlauer to clean house over the past few months, firing longtime general manager Pierre Dorion in November and head coach D.J. Smith earlier this week. 71-year-old Jacques Martin, the Senators’ all-time leader in games coached, took over as interim, but it’s unlikely the Senators are comfortable with him as the long-term solution behind the bench. He’s been out of coaching roles for almost three seasons and only recently re-joined the Senators in a senior advisor role earlier this month.
Smith was the fourth coach fired this season, but the Senators and the Blues are the only teams not to name a permanent successor immediately. Drew Bannister holds the interim title in St. Louis after the team fired 2019 Stanley Cup champion coach Craig Berube earlier this month. That leaves the Senators on the prowl for a permanent bench boss. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli named an intriguing candidate at number one on his list of targets: John Gruden, head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
Some may cringe at the thought of the Senators going with a second straight first-time head coach behind the bench, but it’s a logical fit given Michael Andlauer’s modus operandi since assuming ownership. Andlauer and interim general manager Steve Staios oversaw Gruden’s tenure as head coach of the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs from 2016 to 2018, culminating in a league championship. Unlike Martin, Gruden has worked in NHL roles since departing the Bulldogs, serving as an assistant coach for the Islanders from 2018 to 2022 before joining the Bruins as an assistant on Jim Montgomery‘s staff for last year’s record-breaking season. This year, he has the Maple Leafs’ primary minor-league affiliate rolling with a 13-7-4 record, third in the AHL’s North Division.
Behind Gruden on Seravalli’s list are two coaches looking for a new home after being fired earlier this season: former Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft and former Wild coach Dean Evason. Longtime NHL coach Claude Julien, who Seravalli reports is “eager to get back on the bench,” earned a fourth-place mention, while former Senators center and current Bruins assistant coach Chris Kelly rounds out his top five.
Other notes from around the league this morning:
- It’s been a disappointing sophomore campaign for Canucks winger Andrei Kuzmenko. The 27-year-old potted 39 goals in 81 games last season after signing with Vancouver as a free agent out of Russia, but his point production and ice time have dipped this year, and he finds himself outside of a top-six role with three healthy scratches this season. As a result, some trade rumors have popped up over the past couple of weeks. However, Kuzmenko’s agent, Dan Milstein, says his camp doesn’t fuel those talks. Speaking with British Columbia-based reporter Joshua Griffith, Milstein said Kuzmenko is on the same page with both the Canucks coaching staff and front office, reiterating his client is “very happy to be in Vancouver” and that there is a path forward for Kuzmenko in the organization.
- Moving from coast to coast, another established winger seeing a gradual decrease in ice time is Flyers veteran Cam Atkinson. The 34-year-old played a season-low 13:48 in Tuesday’s game against the Devils and has no points in his last three games. Head coach John Tortorella said this morning that Atkinson “hasn’t shown enough energy and quickness recently,” a thinly veiled statement that Atkinson could be sitting in the press box for a game or two soon – a move Tortorella isn’t afraid to execute (via veteran Flyers reporter Sam Carchidi). After missing 2022-23 with a neck injury, Atkinson has played in all 31 contests for the Flyers this year, recording eight goals and eight assists. The two-time 30-goal scorer has spent most of his career playing under Tortorella, spending six seasons with him in Columbus from 2015 to 2021, and by all accounts, has a positive relationship with the outspoken coach.
Morning Notes: Kuzmenko, Pinto, Couture
The Vancouver Canucks could be looking to move high-scoring winger Andrei Kuzmenko, according to The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta. Pagnotta shares that the team has discussed trading him but that, “nothing is close”, citing his $5.5MM cap hit and modified-no-trade-clause as pieces that make a trade challenging.
Kuzmenko is off to a slower start to the season after scoring an electric 39 goals and 74 points in 81 games last season. It was Kuzmenko’s first year in the NHL, with Vancouver signing him out of the KHL, where he had previously played 315 career games and scored 200 points. The 27-year-old winger is now sporting just five goals and 16 points through 26 games this season, on pace for just 50 points in 82 games. Pagnotta shares that Vancouver could be looking for a talent-for-talent swap, attempting to bring in a new face to replace Kuzmenko’s role in the top-six. The left-winger has averaged roughly 16 minutes of ice time through his 107 career NHL games so far.
Other notes from around the league:
- Shane Pinto is expected to resume training with the Ottawa Senators’ skills coaches soon, after doing much of his training at various colleges while serving his 41-game suspension. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch shared expects the forward to sign his qualifying offer, which would give Pinto a cap hit of $874K. Pinto is eligible to resume playing for either the Ottawa Senators or Belleville Senators on January 21st.
- Logan Couture spoke with media for the first time in two months on Tuesday, shedding light on the lower-body injury that’s so far held him out of the season. Couture, 34, candidly shared that he had feared the injury could end his career, but that those fears are behind him after he began rehabbing the injury. He is now expecting to return soon, but the Sharks captain didn’t have a timeline yet, calling himself, “truly week-to-week”. Couture has spent his entire career with the San Jose Sharks, totaling 700 points in 927 games with the club.
Snapshots: Kuzmenko, Strome, Connor, Pearson, Capitals Arena
It has been a rough start to Andrei Kuzmenko’s sophomore season. The 27-year-old had 39 goals last season but has been limited to just four in his first 25 games of the year. He has been a healthy scratch at times and has lined up recently on the fourth line as well, fueling trade speculation. Speaking with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, Canucks president Jim Rutherford indicated that they’re keeping an open mind with Kuzmenko and not locking themselves into just one answer when asked about their willingness to let the winger play his way out of his struggles. Kuzmenko is in the first season of a two-year contract that carries a $5.5MM AAV; Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported over the weekend (video link) that teams had started calling Vancouver to gauge Kuzmenko’s availability.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- There will be no supplemental discipline coming to Ducks center Ryan Strome from his hit on Jets winger Kyle Connor, reports Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press (Twitter link). Strome received a major penalty on the play, one that was upheld after review. Meanwhile, Connor was slated to undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of the injury. Connor is off to a great start to his season with 17 goals and 11 assists in 26 games, leading Winnipeg in scoring while being tied for fourth in the NHL in goals.
- Following their loss to Nashville last night, the Canadiens announced that winger Tanner Pearson will miss the next four to six weeks with an upper-body injury that was sustained on Saturday against Buffalo. The 31-year-old is in his first season with Montreal after missing almost of all 2022-23 with a hand injury that required several surgeries. Pearson has four goals and four assists in 27 games so far this year.
- A group of Virginia state lawmakers voted Monday for a deal that would bring the Capitals and NBA Wizards to a new arena in Northern Virginia, report Teo Armus, Laura Vozzella, Sam Fortier, and Gregory S. Schneider of the Washington Post. If the plan received approval from the General Assembly and other local officials, the two teams would play in an arena in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood. Monumental Sports and Entertainment, the group that owns the Caps and Wizards, would lease the new facility under this plan. Capital One Arena, where the team plays now, is one of the older buildings in the NHL having been built back in 1997.
Trade Deadline Roundup: Western Conference
While trade deadline day was largely a dud in itself, that was because so many moves were made in the days leading up to March 3rd. With that in mind, here is a recap of the trades made in the Western Conference in the ten days leading up to deadline day to show who all moved where in what was a busy trade period overall. Players and picks that were acquired and then flipped are only noted for their final destination.
Anaheim Ducks
Acquired: F Brock McGinn, F Nikita Nesterenko, D Chase Priskie, F Dylan Sikura, F Josiah Slavin, D Andrej Sustr, 2024 third-round pick (PIT), 2024 third-round pick (SJ), 2025 fifth-round pick (MIN)
Traded: F Hunter Drew, F Max Golod, D John Klingberg, D Dmitry Kulikov, D Austin Strand, D Henry Thrun
Arizona Coyotes
Acquired: D Michael Kesselring, D Connor Mackey, F Brett Ritchie, F Jakub Voracek, Shea Weber, 2023 first-round pick (OTT), 2023 third-round pick (EDM), 2023 sixth-round pick (CBJ), 2024 second-round pick (OTT), 2025 third-round pick (NYR), 2023 fifth-round pick (VGK), 2026 third-round pick (CAR), 2026 sixth-round pick (OTT)
Traded: F Nick Bjugstad, D Jakob Chychrun, D Cam Dineen, G Jon Gillies, D Shayne Gostisbehere, D Dysin Mayo, F Nick Ritchie, D Vili Saarijarvi, D Troy Stecher
Calgary Flames
Acquired: F Dryden Hunt, F Nick Ritchie, D Troy Stecher
Traded: D Connor Mackey, F Brett Ritchie, F Radim Zohorna
Chicago Blackhawks
Acquired: F Joey Anderson, F Anders Bjork, F Hunter Drew, D Andreas Englund, G Anton Khudobin, F Pavel Gogolev, F Max Golod, D Vili Saarijarvi, F Austin Wagner, D Andy Welinski, D Nikita Zaitsev, 2023 second-round pick (NYR), 2023 second-round pick (OTT), 2025 first-round pick (TOR), 2025 second-round pick (DAL), 2025 fourth-round pick (NYR), 2026 second-round pick (TOR), 2026 fourth-round pick (OTT)
Traded: F Max Domi, D Jack Johnson, F Patrick Kane, F Sam Lafferty, D Jake McCabe, F Dylan Sikura, F Josiah Slavin, G Dylan Wells, D Cooper Zech, 2024 fifth-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick
Colorado Avalanche
Acquired: F Lars Eller, D Jack Johnson, G Keith Kinkaid, F Gustav Rydahl
Traded: F Anton Blidh, F Shane Bowers, D Andreas Englund, 2025 second-round pick
Dallas Stars
Acquired: F Evgenii Dadonov, F Max Domi, F Scott Reedy, G Dylan Wells
Traded: F Denis Gurianov, G Anton Khudobin, F Jacob Peterson, 2025 second-round pick
Edmonton Oilers
Acquired: F Nick Bjugstad, D Cam Dineen, D Mattias Ekholm, F Patrik Puistola, 2024 sixth-round pick (NSH)
Traded: D Tyson Barrie, D Michael Kesselring, F Jesse Puljujarvi, F Reid Schaefer, 2023 first-round pick, 2023 third-round pick, 2024 fourth-round pick
Los Angeles Kings
Acquired: D Vladislav Gavrikov, G Joonas Korpisalo, F Zack MacEwen, G Erik Portillo, F Nate Schnarr
Traded: D Frederic Allard, F Brendan Lemieux, G Jonathan Quick, F Austin Wagner, 2023 first-round pick, 2023 third-round pick, 2024 third-round pick, 2024 fifth-round pick
Minnesota Wild
Acquired: D John Klingberg, F Marcus Johansson, F Gustav Nyquist, F Oskar Sundqvist, 2023 second-round pick (VGK), 2024 fifth-round pick (BUF)
Traded: F Jordan Greenway, F Nikita Nesterenko, D Andrej Sustr, F Andrei Svetlakov, 2023 fourth-round pick, 2024 third-round pick, 2025 fourth-round pick
Nashville Predators
Acquired: F Rasmus Asplund, D Tyson Barrie, D Cal Foote, F Isaac Ratcliffe, F Austin Rueschhoff, F Reid Schaefer, 2023 first-round pick (EDM), 2023 second-round pick (PIT), 2023 third-round pick (TB), 2023 fourth-round pick (TB), 2023 fifth-round pick (TB), 2024 second-round pick (TB), 2024 second-round pick (WPG), 2024 fourth-round pick (EDM), 2025 first-round pick (TB)
Traded: D Mattias Ekholm, F Mikael Granlund, F Tanner Jeannot, F Nino Niederreiter, 2024 sixth-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick
San Jose Sharks
Acquired: D Arvid Henrikson, F Andreas Johnsson, D Shakir Mukhamadullin, D Nikita Okhotyuk, D Henry Thrun, F Fabian Zetterlund, 2023 first-round pick (NJ), 2023 seventh-round pick (PIT), 2024 second-round pick (NJ), 2024 fourth-round pick (PIT), 2024 seventh-round pick (NJ), 2025 fourth-round pick (WPG),
Traded: F Nick Bonino, G Zacharie Emond, F Michael Eyssimont, D Scott Harrington, D Santeri Hatakka, F Timur Ibragimov, F Timo Meier, D Tony Sund, 2024 third-round pick, 2024 fifth-round pick (COL), 2024 fifth-round pick
Seattle Kraken
No trades made
St. Louis Blues
Acquired: F Zach Dean, F Jakub Vrana
Traded: F Ivan Barbashev, F Dylan McLaughlin, 2025 seventh-round pick
Vancouver Canucks
Acquired: F Josh Bloom, D Filip Hronek, F Vitali Kravtsov, 2023 third-round pick (TOR) 2023 fourth-round pick (DET), 2024 fourth-round pick (NJ)
Traded: D Wyatt Kalynuk, F Curtis Lazar, F William Lockwood, D Luke Schenn, D Riley Stillman, 2023 first-round pick (NYI), 2023 second-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick
Vegas Golden Knights
Acquired: F Ivan Barbashev, F Teddy Blueger, D Dysin Mayo, G Jonathan Quick
Traded: F Zach Dean, F Peter DiLiberatore, G Michael Hutchinson, D Shea Weber, 2023 fifth-round pick, 2024 third-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick
Winnipeg Jets
Acquired: F Nino Niederreiter, F Vladislav Namestnikov
Traded: 2024 second-round pick, 2025 fourth-round pick
Vancouver Canucks Extend Andrei Kuzmenko
The Vancouver Canucks have worked through some negotiations quite quickly, reaching an agreement with pending free agent Andrei Kuzmenko. The two-year contract extension will carry an average annual value of $5.5MM, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Friedman adds that there will be a 12-team no-trade clause included in the deal, which starts next season.
There are two ways to look at a deal like this. It brings back a player who has found incredible success in his first year, scoring 21 goals and 43 points in 47 games. The $5.5MM cap hit is a reasonable amount for the player that Kuzmenko has been this year, and keeps him from walking in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
The Canucks can now staple him to the wing of Elias Pettersson and have the makings of a legitimate top line through 2024-25.
On the other hand, the rest of the Vancouver roster doesn’t appear to be ready to compete during that span. Even with the “major surgery” that president Jim Rutherford suggested, which looks more and more like the exit of captain Bo Horvat, it’s hard to see the Canucks contending next season or the year after.
The pipeline isn’t filled with elite talent, the bad contracts aren’t coming off the books, and right now, they have a club good enough for 27th in the league.
Trading Kuzmenko at the deadline, then, appeared to be a better option. Given his bargain-basement salary thanks to a one-year entry-level contract, Kuzmenko could have been a target for any contender in the league. The return would have helped the prospect pool and potentially sped up a rebuild that seems inevitable, even if the front office won’t admit it.
That said, a two-year deal doesn’t necessarily mean Kuzmenko won’t be traded. It just means he won’t be traded right now. He’ll only be 29 when the deal is set to expire and if the Canucks are still not good, will still likely fetch a strong return on the trade market.
Given Rutherford’s belief that the team can be competitive again in under three years, this deal makes a lot of sense. It gives them another shot with a new head coach, and if it still doesn’t work, they can move on without much issue.
Perhaps the surprise is that Kuzmenko would agree to a two-year deal at all. After all, his performance this season would likely warrant a longer commitment if he wanted it. But this way, he can cash in for the next two years and potentially hit the market as an under-30 winger when the salary cap goes up. If he can keep producing, it might end up a savvy move for the undrafted Russian, who will be set up for a massive deal down the road.
Andrei Kuzmenko Prefers Short-Term Deal With Vancouver
The Vancouver Canucks have a decision to make before the deadline. Andrei Kuzmenko, the KHL free agent that has been such an impressive addition, is scheduled for unrestricted free agency. The team could trade him over the next few weeks, and recoup whatever assets are available, or sign him to an extension in the hopes they can turn things around quickly. They appear to be pursuing the latter, with president Jim Rutherford announcing publicly last week that the team would try to sign Kuzmenko.
Today, agent Dan Milstein spoke with Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV and confirmed as much. Milstein explained that the negotiations have started, but that his preference is for a short-term extension. He even referred to it as a “bridge deal,” a term normally reserved for restricted free agents that are exiting their entry-level contract.
That is what Kuzmenko’s doing – leaving his ELC – but because of his age (27 in less than two weeks), he’ll be a UFA instead. A bridge deal in this case would suggest a one or two-year deal to further establish his talent in the NHL before looking to cash in on a long-term, big-money contract. A lot of the leverage here is on the side of the player, though, given Vancouver’s lack of control. Kuzmenko could simply walk in the offseason if he doesn’t get the offer he’s looking for, and would likely have 31 other general managers reaching out to see what it would take to bring him in.
With 43 points in his first 46 NHL games, it’s Kuzmenko’s play that has given him this leverage. After developing into a star in the KHL, he has made the transition to North America rather flawlessly. His 21 goals are second on the Canucks to Bo Horvat, and his 43 points tie him with Quinn Hughes for third – Elias Petterson’s 56 lead the way.
The fact is, you could argue that Kuzmenko has been more effective for the Canucks this season than players like J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, and Ilya Mikheyev. Those players are carrying cap hits of $5.25MM, $6.65MM, $4.95MM, and $4.75MM respectively, with a massive seven-year, $56MM contract coming down the pipe for Miller. Kuzmenko’s inexperience will be held up in talks, but it’s hard to argue against the production from this season.
For Vancouver, though, as much as a long-term deal might provide some value down the road, a short-term deal might be best. They can’t afford to make another contract mistake, and a “bridge” contract would allow them to reassess the situation in a year or two and trade Kuzmenko at that point if necessary.
Morning Notes: Luukkonen, Sandin, Kuzmenko
The Buffalo Sabres have shuffled things around again, this time sending JJ Peterka to the minor leagues to recall Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The young netminder is expected to start tonight for Buffalo, as they continue to use three goaltenders. It is interesting that Peterka is the one going down, given he played more than 15 minutes just two nights ago and has been a regular in the lineup so far.
Through 41 games, the rookie forward has seven goals and 18 points, while averaging a hair under 14 minutes. Peterka, who just turned 21 a few days ago, was outstanding in the minor leagues last season, scoring 28 goals and 68 points in his first season in North America. He’ll be back before you know it, given Vinnie Hinostroza is on waivers.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to have Rasmus Sandin back in the mix, as he took a regular shift at morning skate. The young defenseman had been out with an illness the last few games. The health of the Toronto blueline will be something to watch in the coming weeks, as they determine if they have enough depth at the position. T.J. Brodie, who has been sidelined for a while, was on the ice again before the rest of the group, according to David Alter of Sports Illustrated.
- Though the Vancouver Canucks are attempting to sign Andrei Kuzmenko to an extension, Cam Charron of The Athletic argues they would be passing up a “golden opportunity” by doing so. The team could sell Kuzmenko at the deadline, and recoup assets for a player that cost them nothing but a one-year, entry-level contract. Sure, the 26-year-old has 38 points in 42 games during his first season of NHL action, but it hasn’t helped this Canucks team much. Kuzmenko is a pending unrestricted free agent.
Snapshots: Kuzmenko, Anisimov, Monahan, Haight
Andrei Kuzmenko’s first season in North America has been a successful one as the winger enters play tonight sitting fourth on the Canucks in scoring with 11 goals and 10 assists in 22 games. He’s also set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer for the second straight year except this time, he won’t be capped on entry-level restrictions. While the two sides are eligible to work out an extension as early as January, it doesn’t appear that will be the case. Appearing on CHEK’s Donnie and Dhali (video link), Kuzmenko’s agent Dan Milstein indicated that there are no contract talks planned for the near future:
We are not going to be talking about an extension of any kind until probably the end of the season or close to that time.
While that’s the plan for now, it stands to reason that Vancouver will look to start discussions before the end of the year as if they can’t reach an agreement on a contract for next season, Kuzmenko could be a trade candidate leading up to the March 3rd trade deadline.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Veteran center Artem Anisimov is off to a decent start with AHL Lehigh Valley with three points in his first five games with Philadelphia’s affiliate. In his latest 32 Thoughts column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes that the Flyers would like to convert Anisimov’s contract to an NHL deal to add him to the roster. However, they’re currently unable to do so as they’re at the maximum 50 contracts so they’ll have to make a trade to open up a spot first unless someone claims Kieffer Bellows on waivers on Friday. Anisimov is a veteran of 771 career NHL contests and would give them someone else to try on the fourth line if they can open up a spot for him first.
- When the Canadiens acquired Sean Monahan this offseason, he seemed like a near-lock to be traded by the deadline with Montreal entrenched in a rebuild. However, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic relays that the team is now having internal discussions about the idea of trying to sign the 28-year-old to an extension instead of flipping him as an expiring deal at the deadline. Monahan has 14 points in 22 games this season while averaging over 17 minutes a night and appears to have recovered quite nicely from the hip surgeries he had in each of the past two years.
- Wild prospect Hunter Haight is on the move in the OHL as Barrie announced that they traded him to Saginaw in exchange for five draft picks. The 18-year-old was a second-round pick by Minnesota this past summer after putting up 22 goals and 41 points last season with the Colts. However, things haven’t gone as well this year as he managed just three goals and six helpers in 20 contests prior to the move. Minnesota has until June 1, 2024 to sign the center to an NHL contract.