NHL teams have been holding their breath the last month while KHL superstar Andrei Kuzmenko decides which team he will start his NHL career with. According to Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dahli – The Team, the Canucks are among the Finalists to sign the KHL superstar who hails from Yakutsk, Russia.
The Canucks are a finalist to land free agent Andrei Kuzmenko.
They have made the shortlist of teams, decision is still a few weeks away according to agent Dan Milstein.
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) May 11, 2022
Landing Kuzmenko would be a huge get for the Canucks as signing a player in free agency is essentially free – Kuzmenko is considered a rookie by NHL standards, and would therefore be forced to sign a 1 year deal with a maximum cap hit of a $925,000 – with no draft picks or trades required to acquire the KHL star.
Kuzmenko’s agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Sports Management joined the Canucks Conversation Podcast to talk about Kuzmenko, highlighting the fact that Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin saw the KHL superstar play nine years ago, and has kept tabs on him ever since.
https://twitter.com/ChrisFaber39/status/1522677943641595904
The Canucks have had trouble attracting free agent talent in the last half decade or so, especially European free agents, so this represents a chance for new management to really strut their stuff.
As teams interview Kuzmenko, he will surely be looking to sign with the team that gives him the best chance to produce in a top-six role in the NHL, hoping to cash in after his short entry level deal expires next season. You can be sure the Canucks have promised the KHL star prime minutes alongside one of their star centres in Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, or J.T. Miller.
It can sometimes be a balancing act while trying to court free agents, as it’s tough to know exactly where players will slot in next year. There are many things that could happen to the roster between now, and when training camp opens up for the Canucks, which is set to take place some time in early October.