What’s going on with Andrei Kuzmenko and what are the Vancouver Canucks going to do with him?
Donnie & Dhali: Elliotte Friedman speaking with Rick Dhaliwal and Don Taylor concerning the Vancouver Canucks and what’s going on with Andrei Kuzmenko and what can they do with him.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dhaliwal: “Alright, Elliotte, we received a man named (Andrei) Kuzmenko right here. You talked about this, morning on the 32 ideas as nicely. Wholesome scratch, fifth time. The place’s this going to finish up? The place do you see this going?
Friedman: “Effectively, I feel the massive downside right here, Rick, is that, you understand, after they had these conferences in Dallas within the in a few occasions, that they had an enormous assembly in Dallas proper earlier than Christmas.
Dhaliwal: “Yep.”
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Friedman: “And everyone mentioned, nice, nice assembly, nice assembly. All people understands how everyone feels right here. No person anticipated we’d be on this spot 10 days later and I feel that’s the issue.
The issue shouldn’t be that (Rick) Tocchet’s benched him, I feel the issue is that they benched him, they met about it, everyone mentioned we’re all on the identical web page right here, we all know what must be performed. And nonetheless, it has not been performed to the coach’s satisfaction.
So it’s clear that Tocchet is, whose pressed the fitting buttons virtually in all places on this roster, shouldn’t be pleased with what he’s getting right here. And it’s all the time a priority, like, I can’t inform you what number of occasions I’ve been informed, you probably have a gathering and it, you understand it doesn’t work that shortly while you thought it did, you’ve received an actual downside.
So now I feel it turns into what do the Canucks within the participant need to do about this? And do the Canucks really feel this may work? Or do the Canucks really feel we have now to maneuver on? And likewise, what does the participant really feel to? Does the gamers say, ‘I’m simply not gonna make it work with this coach.’
So I’m positive all of those conversations are occurring proper now. You realize, as for a commerce, everyone within the league can see what’s occurring right here. They’ve been contacted by groups. It’s not a secret. This isn’t the nuclear codes or something like that. The, folks know what the Canucks are pondering folks know what the Canucks need, in the event that they need to transfer Kuzmenko. To me, the one factor that’s new about that is, I feel that there have been individuals who imagine popping out of that assembly in Dallas that this was nonetheless going to work. Now the massive query is, Do folks nonetheless suppose that that is going to work?”
Dhaliwal: “Isn’t it gonna be robust although, Elliotte? $5.5 million he makes, the participant with no confidence. That’s not simple to maneuver.
Friedman: “Right here’s what I, right here’s what I say about this. Primary, you in Vancouver have confirmed you’ve received a staff that is ready to make issues occur. So I’d say in a number of circumstances, sure, that is very onerous to do something with. However the one factor that the (Jin) Rutherford, (Patrik) Allvin regime has confirmed right here is they’ll get issues performed.
So I’d assume, I wouldn’t assume that as a lot, and I’ve discovered relating to the Canucks, don’t assume that they’ll’t do issues. As a result of in a league the place most groups say you possibly can’t do enterprise, the Canucks have made it very clear, they’ll do enterprise.
In order that’s primary, you’ve got to concentrate on that. Quantity two and you understand, I feel it simply all depends upon what the Canucks need to do right here. You realize, with (Anthony) Beauvillier, they discovered a staff that was keen to take all the wage, and so they mentioned, it doesn’t actually matter what the return is, we’ll take a late-round choose as a result of we need to transfer the wage.
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So, now that is tougher as a result of Kuzmenko’s received one other yr, however this can be a gifted man. Like groups are going to have a look at this man and say there’s a participant right here. Don’t overlook when he was coming over from Russia, there have been a number of groups . That doesn’t change the yr. It makes it tougher, there’s no query about that. It’s going to be a problem. Nonetheless, I don’t suppose it’s the connection confirmed that it’s not inconceivable.
