As confirmed by his agent, Dan Milstein, KHL forward and UFA Andrey Kuzmenko has signed with the Vancouver Canucks. Milstein’s agency tweeted out the following: “Confirming Andrey Kuzmenko’s intent to sign with Vancouver Canucks. Contract details to be worked out soon.”
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This is a big get for the Canucks who were one of five teams reportedly still in on the Kuzmenko sweepstakes. Those teams were the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, and Nashville Predators, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has reported.
As per Darren Dreger of TSN, “The pitch from the final five teams involved in the Kuzmenko dance included the promise of top-six opportunity and power play time. Bruce Boudreau’s effort to meet with and speak with Kuzmenko was a big influence.”
Kuzmenko has already taken to Instagram to show photos of himself signing the contract with the Canucks.
The 26-year-old Russian will get every opportunity to put up big numbers and cash in on a bigger deal after his first NHL season. He had 20 goals and 33 assists in 45 KHL games this season with SKA St. Petersburg, then added seven goals and seven assists in 14 playoff games. The Canucks can use the offense and he’ll be counted on to be a big part of their turnaround, with Jim Rutherford expected to make some changes to the roster.
It will be intriguing to see if the addition of Kuzmenko means any of the current wingers will be put up for trade or if the Canucks are less likely to hang onto names like J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser or Conor Garland.
Next: Avalanche Making Nichushkin a Free Agent Priority: Is He Too Costly?
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