WCR1: Edmonton Oilers (P3) vs Los Angeles Kings (P2) - Oilers win 4-2

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Kuzmenko noted that he doesn't skate in the offseason as much as other players do and that he takes more time off. This is essentially 3 consecutive years where he started slow and finished well, and it's been a sizable chasm in these last two. My theory is that he may need to re-evaluate how he does his offseason training as as he doesn't seem to be up to NHL speed until the last 30 games of the season.

When he was on the Flames...I said down low around the net, he's a lot like Matthew Tkachuck with his hands and smarts and could take advantage of that on the Power play. At Even strength, he isn't as effective in getting there consistently. Hopefully he's got at least three more games left in him where he's one of the candidates for star of the game. But I won't be stunned if he signs a decent contract and starts slow again next year.

If Kuzmenko was consistent, he'd be an $8-10 million man.

[SutterBrother]

He's a one way offensive player who needs to play on a team with good defensive depth that will cover most of his mistakes.

Great fit for the Kings, hope he lights up the Oilers in the 3 remaining games.

[Ba'alzamon]

Kuzmenko spent more than half his time with the Flames playing with Kadri (430.58 5v5 minutes with vs 378.21 without).

How exactly does Boudreau think the Flames should have used him differently?

[Five-hole]

Kuzmenko is like many highly talented people that haven't had to work as hard as many to be effective in what they do. When they are interested and motivated, they are a force. When they are not, the hard work of other less talented people makes up for a lot of disparity in talent. When you are amongst the best in the world at what you're doing, like Kuz is in the NHL, the talent disparity isn't that significant and hard work makes a huge difference.

Kuz is motivated and interested right now. That will wan and he will go back to being somewhere between peripheral, irrelevant, and a liability, unless and until he figures out how to stay motivated and interested.

There's been dozens of guys with this level of talent and similar levels of motivation. Kovalev and Nilsson to name two. There are hundreds of guys who are as talented as your everyday NHLer but never made the show because of the lack of hard work. This isn't unusual and does not reflect poorly on the Flames (or the other teams that have let Kuz walk) at all.

[MissTeeks]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1915102005103862247

https://twitter.com/user/status/1915103047401005280

Poor Jeff Skinner. Wait 15 years to make the playoffs, get bumped after one game for Evander Kane who hasn’t played all year.

[dirk diggler]

Nurse-Bouchard
Walman-Klingberg
Kulak-Emberson
Dineen-Brown

Wow that screams cup winning D core right there

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

Nurse-Bouchard
Walman-Klingberg
Kulak-Emberson
Dineen-Brown

Wow that screams cup winning D core right there

It does scream it if you are LA!

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Kuzmenko noted that he doesn't skate in the offseason as much as other players do and that he takes more time off. This is essentially 3 consecutive years where he started slow and finished well, and it's been a sizable chasm in these last two. My theory is that he may need to re-evaluate how he does his offseason training as as he doesn't seem to be up to NHL speed until the last 30 games of the season.

When he was on the Flames...I said down low around the net, he's a lot like Matthew Tkachuck with his hands and smarts and could take advantage of that on the Power play. At Even strength, he isn't as effective in getting there consistently. Hopefully he's got at least three more games left in him where he's one of the candidates for star of the game. But I won't be stunned if he signs a decent contract and starts slow again next year.

Yeah I'd love to see what his fitness results were this year.

He looked noticably slow and behind play to start the season this year, and the NHL Edge stats supported that as IIRC he was one of the slowest players in the NHL the 1H of this season

[Russic]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

https://twitter.com/user/status/1915102005103862247

https://twitter.com/user/status/1915103047401005280

Poor Jeff Skinner. Wait 15 years to make the playoffs, get bumped after one game for Evander Kane who hasn’t played all year.

That sucks but being a -2 on a night when you score 5 is not a great look. Perry was a +4, which as much as I hate Perry, is pretty impressive.

[calumniate]

Can't wait for the blender to start. They'll probably finish by playing drai, mdavid, and nobody on the right wing. Because who needs extra players really

[Paulie Walnuts]

Perry on the top line lol.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Perry on the top line lol.

He's there to do the dirty work, by dirty work I mean being REALLY dirty.

[Bubba17]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Show me one instance, since ice time has been tracked, where a skater played 80% of any game.

(Spoiler: There isn't one. The record, according to QuantHockey, is held by Cam Fowler, who logged 38:54 in a game against Arizona on April 8, 2023. Steve Staios holds the record for a forward at 31:18.)

There's no ‘yet’ about it.

Staios was a defenceman.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Bubba17

Staios was a defenceman.

I already addressed that. See post #779.

[Ba'alzamon]

Oilers looking to go with 97 and 29 together tonight.

How novel.

[dino7c]

as if Kane needed one more day after months off lol...he was good to go they just know he isn't very good. Lucky for him neither is anyone else

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Lol Kane. That should water down the depth even more.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by dino7c

as if Kane needed one more day after months off lol...he was good to go they just know he isn't very good. Lucky for him neither is anyone else

I think they were questioned about keeping him out for cap reasons until game 1 so they kept him out until game 2 because of the optics.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Lol Kane. That should water down the depth even more.

Was just going to say that is one of the ugliest bottoms 6 in playoffs, but I look and see Kane and Perry on lines 1 and 2 and well I have no words.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I think they were questioned about keeping him out for cap reasons until game 1 so they kept him out until game 2 because of the optics.

The heavy hand of the NHL.

You abused the LTIR space, tell us how you will rectify this with Kane.

We will sit him for game 1.

NHL: Ok