Highly coveted European free agent Andrei Kuzmenko signs with a Canadian club
We know that last week was a busy one for Andrei Kuzmenko, whom many in the hockey world view as potentially the next Artemi Panarin. Kuzmenko was believed to have traveled to at least 4 NHL cities, including Edmonton, Vancouver and Vegas, who were the rumoured frontrunners and it appears as though his decision is in.
Per Kuzmenko's official Instagram account, the 26-year-old KHL standout has elected to sign his 1-year ELC with the Vancouver Canucks. It stands to reason that the Canucks offered Kuzmenko the best opportunity to play in the top six, perhaps with fellow countryman Vasili Podkolzin.
There were rumours that the Canucks would move at least one top-six winger this summer, so perhaps with Kuzmenko coming into the fold in VanCity, it brings a trade one step closer to reality. Among those who were included in trade rumours leading up to the trade deadline this past season were Conor Garland, J.T. Miller and even Brock Boeser.
Kuzmenko put up a very impressive 20 goals and 53 points in 45 games for St. Petersburg SKA last season and could be a massive wild card for the Canucks. Of course, he has never played on the North American ice surface, so there will be a bit of a learning curve, but as we saw with the aforementioned Panarin, the transition is not always a problem. Especially for the smart and skilled players. This could be a potentially huge pickup for the Canucks.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 20 | 192 ANSWERS Highly coveted European free agent Andrei Kuzmenko signs with a Canadian club Will Kuzmenko be the next Artemi Panarin? | ||
| Yes | 29 | 15.1 % |
| No | 66 | 34.4 % |
| He'll be better! | 35 | 18.2 % |
| Not a Leaf - don't care.. | 62 | 32.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
