Former Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko, who now plies his trade with the Pacific Division-rival Calgary Flames, will miss out on the chance to play against his old club for the first time, serving as a healthy scratch for the Canucks' New Year's Eve game against the Flames.
Kuzmenko, 28, left the KHL for the NHL and signed with the Canucks on July 13, 2022. From there, the Russian sniper enjoyed a marvelous first season in Vancouver, scoring 39 goals, 35 assists, and 74 points in 81 games, buoyed by an astounding 27.3% shooting percentage.
Kuzmenko's defensive game never got turned around, and after current Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet was given the keys, the undrafted forward saw his play time cut drastically.
After scoring only eight goals, 13 assists, and 21 points through 43 games, the Canucks traded Kuzmenko to the Flames last season in a package for Elias Lindholm that also included Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, and 2024 first-round pick.
Since then, Kuzmenko has played his old Canucks four times, recording only one assist. Further to that point, the sharpshooter registered only seven shots on goal in those four games.
Why Kuzmenko won't face the Canucks on Tuesday night
Embarking on his first full season with the Flames, Kuzmenko has, unfortunately, fallen flat on his face. Kuzmenko has managed to score just one goal this season to pair with his eight assists in 29 games, finding the back of the net at a career-worst 3.3% clip.
The aging Calgary Flames are in a bit of limbo, as they have a combination of older veterans and young prospects looking to make big impressions on NHL coaches for the first time. At his age, Kuzmenko falls into the former category, and it probably does not help his case that he is in a contract year.
The one-time Canucks star has one year remaining on his contract at a $5.5 million cap hit, and it looks as though the hourglass is ticking on his NHL career after this latest healthy scratch.