[Trade] Elias Lindholm to VAN for Kuzmenko, Brzustewicz, Jurmo, 2024 1st, cond 2024 4th

[Rhett44]

Kuzmenko has all the potential in the world, but it seems he has effort/consistency issues.

A few games ago some fans were calling to healthy scratch him, and now some are asking us to re sign him long term.

He will be 29 when an extension kicks in, it doesn't make sense to extend him unless it's really cheap or short term. I think you try to get a return for him at next year's deadline (provided he stays motivated enough to contribute).

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Seems like a player that has two extremes to him, and not much in between.

He would be maddening for fans long term. I'm happy to have him on board for next season though. Hope he tears it up with all the PP time and goes on to win a cup with a contender (and shouts out the Flames after he does it).

[CFO]

He just like huselius. You play him to his strengths.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

He would be maddening for fans long term.

I think he's only maddening if he's too far up the lineup because of a lack of depth. A player like this that hangs out on the powerplay and bounces around between the second and third lines is found money when they are producing for spells.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by CFO

He just like huselius. You play him to his strengths.

Hooli-gules.
Thats a really good comparison. I remember the team skills competition decades ago and that guy would explode the place.

I still think kuzy was a cap dump the team should have gotten more for but the market is what it is.

[Niemo]

I remember Huselius being a decent PKer and stud PPer.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Niemo

I remember Huselius being a decent PKer and stud PPer.

I remember Huselius being able to hold onto the puck better than anybody except Jarome in the offensive zone.

Really, only Gaudreau and Backlund have been close to Juice in this regard over the last 18 years.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I remember Huselius being able to hold onto the puck better than anybody except Jarome in the offensive zone.

Really, only Gaudreau and Backlund have been close to Juice in this regard over the last 18 years.

Backlund? He's not close to Juice or the Dweeb in the offensive zone at all!

[Erick Estrada]

Kuzmenko is a talented player but given his inconsistent effort not a player you sign long term. Canucks had the right idea signing him for only two seasons. Had they signed him for 4 or more seasons he would still be on their roster today.

[gvitaly]

I think that a lot of Kuzmenko's inconsistency can be attributed to it only being his 2nd season in the NHL. Moreover, the language barrier, the move, the injuries/sickness since coming to CGY could've been a part of the struggle.

I enjoy watching him play, and I think there's a decent chance he tightens things up defensively.

[Erick Estrada]

He's a professional hockey player so I don't think you can make excuses for his inconsistency. I'm fairly certain that if he was signed long term that a lot of the people that like him now would turn on him as becomes the next whipping boy. Happened with Mangiapane and you can't even question his effort as it's more that he was signed after a career season and since then has reverted to the player he is.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

He's a professional hockey player so I don't think you can make excuses for his inconsistency. I'm fairly certain that if he was signed long term that a lot of the people that like him now would turn on him as becomes the next whipping boy. Happened with Mangiapane and you can't even question his effort as it's more that he was signed after a career season and since then has reverted to the player he is.

A lot of professional hockey players look better after a couple of years in the league. I think you can make that case for 90% of players in the league.

[Erick Estrada]

He's 28 years old, not a rookie. He's played 8 seasons in the KHL and is a finished product. This is what he is.

[Vinny01]

Kuzmenko should absolutely be a pump and dump player. Give him lots of great opportunities next year and hopefully be able to secure a 2nd or more for him at the deadline.

[PepsiFree]

It’s smart because the KHL is the exact same as the NHL, everybody knows that. It’s also true that Kuzmenko is a finished product this year (well, the time he spent in Vancouver this year is a finished product, last year and the time he’s spent in Calgary, both instances in which he’s actually played really well, don’t count).

[Zary's-Mustache]

I think the inconsistency label is overblown. I think he's as consistent as other players on this bottom 10 team that don't get talked about.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Zary's-Mustache

I think the inconsistency label is overblown. I think he's as consistent as other players on this bottom 10 team that don't get talked about.

Disagree, the root cause of his inconsistency is clearly different IMO. Inconsistency is usually what separates the really good players, average players and the bad players. For most players, that inconsistency is driven by a lack of skill (when I say skill I don't necessarily mean top end offensive skill, just ability in general). Kuzmenko's inconsistency doesn't stem from a lack of skill or ability, it's mindset and will.

That's why it gets talked about. He actually could be better consistently based on his ability.

[fotze2]

Something has to be going on with him. He's a great player that has played poorly for a while, inexplicably. Never seen so many players in the league leave for "player assistance program" reasons and I imagine there are a lot more in waiting. Representing the rest of the populace whose mental health is waning.

Yes, obviously just a wild ass guess by myself.

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Kuzmenko should absolutely be a pump and dump player. Give him lots of great opportunities next year and hopefully be able to secure a 2nd or more for him at the deadline.

100%, even a 3rd or 4th. He has "going back to the KHL" written all over him. Get what you can before he heads back home. IMO

[Five-hole]

If his name was Mark Smith I wonder if even 20% of these comments would be getting made.