‘It is so easy and never tough for me. I simply must play higher and I perceive that I’ve acquired to assist the group.’ — Kuzmenko
Article content material
Andrei Kuzmenko shuffled his ft and nervously paused earlier than addressing urgent questions Monday.
Commercial 2
Article content material
What did the Vancouver Canucks winger make of being a wholesome scratch Friday in Seattle after which once more Saturday in San Jose? And the way is he going to play Tuesday to regain the belief of head coach Rick Tocchet?
Article content material
“Tough questions. I don’t like now at this second,” Kuzmenko stated Monday following follow the place he was reunited with Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev. “Possibly we end now (laughs). However I would like good play and it’s so easy. It’s not an issue for me.”
NEXT GAME:
Geese at Canucks
Tuesday, 7 p.m., Rogers Area
TV: Sportsnet. Radio: Sportnet 650
The issue for Tocchet isn’t that Kuzmenko has simply three targets and 28 pictures and a ten.7-per-cent capturing share in 19 video games after exploding for 39 final season. It’s that his play with and with out the puck has left quite a bit to be desired. It’s OK to be artistic with the puck and do a spinarama transfer within the slot, nevertheless it’s not OK to disregard different key components of the sport that should be executed on a constant foundation.
Canucks Report
Article content material
Commercial 3
Article content material
In Tocchet’s hockey vernacular it’s “defending the heart of the ice” and being pretty much as good with out the puck as Kuzmenko could be with it.
“When the puck is out within the impartial zone, you’ve acquired to hustle again to be an choice,” confused Tocchet. “Be a middle-drive man and with pucks across the wall — you’ve acquired to get them out. These are the little issues I worth round right here. It’s not nearly scoring targets.
“When you’re not scoring, that’s fantastic. Scorers are going to undergo slumps. Little issues matter, and he perceive that’s the bible for us. They’re essential. And after we play gradual, we’re not an excellent group.”
Tocchet’s resolution Friday to take a seat Kuzmenko in Seattle and Saturday in San Jose wasn’t that tough. A four-line effort towards the Kraken in a 5-1 win additionally made it simpler for the bench boss to reward a complete group effort.
Commercial 4
Article content material
“It’s sport to sport and I’m clearly not going to take a seat the man on the shelf for lots of video games. The best way we performed in Seattle, it was laborious to tug a man out,” added Tocchet, who had beforehand voiced his displeasure with Kuzmenko.
“For the final seven video games, our sport has slipped a little bit bit and I’ve been very quiet. I’m not going to be quiet for very lengthy. I acquired an awesome response at present (Monday follow) and that’s the one factor about these guys. I had gamers coming to me and saying that we’ve acquired to get our sport again.
“They acknowledge it and that’s how I take care of it round right here. You possibly can’t be scared to present a man reward or crap, or vice versa. Gamers will are available and inform me they deserve extra ice time and to observe their shifts and I’ll say they’re proper.”
Commercial 5
Article content material
Kuzmenko arrived at coaching camp with a two-year, $11-million US contract extension and improved health. Did he suppose that might make it simpler? Did he take final season without any consideration?
It’s why college was again in session Monday. However what impact with simply at some point of instruction on and off the ice have? Tocchet clearly wants Kuzmenko to revert to his dynamic type that led to appreciable chemistry with Pettersson and a gaudy league-leading 27.3-per-cent capturing accuracy.
However that got here on a shedding group that wasn’t going to make the playoffs and wanted to play a extra structured versus a free sport.
For his half, Kuzmenko was speaking extra anticipation than angst Monday.
“It’s good. I’m excited,” he stated. “Crucial these subsequent two video games as a result of we’d like a win. It’s essential for me to play good video games after a break. I’ve been working within the gymnasium and it is a essential second for me.
Commercial 6
Article content material
“I must get higher with the forecheck and backcheck and make the great defensive performs. It’s so easy and never tough for me. I simply must play higher, and I perceive that I’ve acquired to assist the group.”
That’s good as a result of Tocchet doesn’t purchase into the speculation that for those who don’t use a superb participant, you can lose him mentally, particularly if he’s egocentric. The tail is rarely going to wag the canine within the coach’s world.
“If he’s sitting in my workplace and saying, ‘Hey coach, you’re loopy and I’m enjoying nice,’ then we’ve acquired points,” stated Tocchet. “He is aware of he’s not enjoying nicely. I’ve gone by means of it and also you’ve acquired to self-evaluate the way you get higher.
“You’re not going to lose a man who needs to get higher.”
Pettersson expects Kuzmenko to embrace the problem of enjoying at velocity and making performs to get the road again to being extra accountable and having a extra noticeable offensive-zone presence.
“He’s a superb participant and I’ll be excited to play with him,” Pettersson stated of Kuzmenko.
OVERTIME — To reinsert Kuzmenko, it meant Phil Di Giuseppe was the odd-man out in line rushes Monday. “He has been OK, however has slipped a little bit bit. He’s acquired to get again to that forecheck, and I’m unsure it’s going to be him (sitting out) and we’ve acquired a while to determine.
Keep updated with the most recent Canucks information: Click on right here to learn extra tales from beat author Ben Kuzma or enroll right here to have them emailed straight to your inbox.
Article content material