Andrei Kuzmenko: Powerplay Tsar

[lazypucker]

Kuzmenko is what the Flames was looking for in Mangiapane.

I will be happy to extend him at around $6.5m for 4 years, but no NTC or NMC.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Icantwhisper

Agreed, but giving away Kuzmenko isn't the part they will regret

It will be part of the reason, especially if the Flames move him for assets

[Kipper_3434]

Guy was a cap dump a few months ago, but let's give him a raise based off 8 pp goals.



/s

[bdubbs]

I'd keep him and get rid of Mangiapane. Mid-term only. Around 3-4 year deal ideally.

[blankall]

How has the team's PP success changed since adding him. I know at the beginning of the year, the Flames were almost on pace for a record low PP %.

[konradical]

Yeah literally if we get rid of Mang, we can keep him. Unless he absolutely pops off he will likely get a slight raise. Getting rid of Mang will replace Kuz's whole yearly salary and give us an extra $5 to play with.

Pelltier, Coronato or someone we dont even know of can play with Backs and Coleman next year.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If you want to use +- as an argument, here are some numbers since Kuzy joined:

Weegar: -8
Backlund: -8
Kuzmenko: -10
Sharangovich: -11
Andersson: -13
Huberdeau: -13

It's a team stat.

His expected goals against per 60 were posted above and were just fine

Kuzmenko actually has the 3rd best xGA60 five on five for any forward that has played 100 or more minutes for the Flames this season.

[All In Good Time]

What the heck
We have a ton of cap room and will have more. We aren't going to be good for quite a while. We should offer him a bunch of cash for 5 or 6 years so there is something to watch/talk about

[Red_Baron]

It seems lost on some that signing him to another contract-preferably during next season after a decent sample size-does not mean that he can't be traded at a later date.

Do we realistically think we can rebuild with just 2 drafts? Having some proven assets for drafts 2-3 years from now doesn't seem to be that toxic to me.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Kuzmenko is good. Just put him in the best position to succeed.

Tocchet/Alvin were idiots.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Obviously stay far away from 8 (the new baseline fof UFA extensions these days it seems..). But a 5 year deal seems palatable.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Red_Baron

It seems lost on some that signing him to another contract-preferably during next season after a decent sample size-does not mean that he can't be traded at a later date.

Do we realistically think we can rebuild with just 2 drafts? Having some proven assets for drafts 2-3 years from now doesn't seem to be that toxic to me.

People hear “rebuild” and think “lose every game”.

There were folks freaking out wondering if keeping Monahan up as an 18 year old meant they were sacrificing draft position for the present.

They ended up with their highest pick in franchise history.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

But like. The dude will be 29 when his current contract is up. What business do the Flames have offering a 29-year-old a long-term contract when they don't currently have anything resembling a core?

This is a clear-cut pump-and-dump situation. The Flames aren't a full Kuzmenko season away from the Cup, or even making the playoffs. They need to be bottoming out.

If he keeps this up he will fetch a solid return at the deadline next year as a rental. This is the best path forward for the Flames IMHO.

I don't like the idea of having a 30 year old with flaws locked up beyond a year or two and I doubt he will be looking for a short term deal if his play continues to be in the 25-30 goal range moving forward.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Red_Baron

It seems lost on some that signing him to another contract-preferably during next season after a decent sample size-does not mean that he can't be traded at a later date.

Flames fans saw first hand how hard it is to complete trades even if teams are willing (see Markstrom and Devils) as there are now so many variables with half the league capped out. In Kuzmenko we are talking about a guy that had only one year left on is deal and still the Canucks basically moved him as a cap dump which shows that the level of interest in him was not overly high. What makes you think an older Kuzmenko in his 30's with one or two years left on a $4-5 million/season deal is going to be easily movable?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

People hear “rebuild” and think “lose every game”.

There were folks freaking out wondering if keeping Monahan up as an 18 year old meant they were sacrificing draft position for the present.

They ended up with their highest pick in franchise history.

Yeah, the Sharks are in about 20th place in the history of the league for worst winning percentage, and they are the worst in 20 years, but they still have won about 25% of their games.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Flames fans saw first hand how hard it is to complete trades even if teams are willing (see Markstrom and Devils) as there are now so many variables with half the league capped out. In Kuzmenko we are talking about a guy that had only one year left on is deal and still the Canucks basically moved him as a cap dump which shows that the level of interest in him was not overly high. What makes you think an older Kuzmenko in his 30's with one or two years left on a $4-5 million/season deal is going to be easily movable?

TBF, Kuzmenko at the time was on pace for 16 goals and 40 points after a good season. Canucks maybe thought he was a flash in the pan and maybe so did other teams. If he keeps up his Flames pace and rebounds to a near 40 goal guy next year, he'd be moveable.

[Red_Baron]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Flames fans saw first hand how hard it is to complete trades even if teams are willing (see Markstrom and Devils) as there are now so many variables with half the league capped out. In Kuzmenko we are talking about a guy that had only one year left on is deal and still the Canucks basically moved him as a cap dump which shows that the level of interest in him was not overly high. What makes you think an older Kuzmenko in his 30's with one or two years left on a $4-5 million/season deal is going to be easily movable?

By scoring points, same thing that has us talking about him now.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Flames fans saw first hand how hard it is to complete trades even if teams are willing (see Markstrom and Devils) as there are now so many variables with half the league capped out. In Kuzmenko we are talking about a guy that had only one year left on is deal and still the Canucks basically moved him as a cap dump which shows that the level of interest in him was not overly high. What makes you think an older Kuzmenko in his 30's with one or two years left on a $4-5 million/season deal is going to be easily movable?

Capfriendly estimates the cap will be $92M in two years.

Not to belabour a point, but a bottom-3 powerplay is knocking on the door of Maple Leafs level efficiency, and it isn’t because of Miromanov.

Now, maybe you don’t sign him in the summer - if you have time, use it.

But I’d be shocked if many players in that room don’t want him back long term.

[DeluxeMoustache]

I will put here as well, beyond just the skill, I like the quirkiness

He seems really fun in interviews, you see him giving Rooney the head rub after Huska compliments his shot block. You see him talking to his helmet during the anthems, sometimes looks like he’s talking to himself on the ice.

He has some things he does in the pre game skate where you can see his skill, particularly stickhandling

Then when I was at the Ducks game, I had seats across from the benches. When the Ducks were skating around their zone prior to the second, and the Flames were skating around the other end, I noticed him cruising nice and slowly into the zone over the blue line on our side, slowly skated along the perimeter of the boards, behind the Ducks net, and all the way to the Flames bench. You don’t often see a guy skating in the other team’s zone during warmup, and the Ducks paid no mind

From the few things I’ve noticed, he’s a different cat, interesting to watch

I watch hockey to be entertained. I like the cut of his jib

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I will put here as well, beyond just the skill, I like the quirkiness

He seems really fun in interviews, you see him giving Rooney the head rub after Huska compliments his shot block. You see him talking to his helmet during the anthems, sometimes looks like he’s talking to himself on the ice.

He has some things he does in the pre game skate where you can see his skill, particularly stickhandling

Then when I was at the Ducks game, I had seats across from the benches. When the Ducks were skating around their zone prior to the second, and the Flames were skating around the other end, I noticed him cruising nice and slowly into the zone over the blue line on our side, slowly skated along the perimeter of the boards, behind the Ducks net, and all the way to the Flames bench. You don’t often see a guy skating in the other team’s zone during warmup, and the Ducks paid no mind

From the few things I’ve noticed, he’s a different cat, interesting to watch

I watch hockey to be entertained. I like the cut of his jib

This, 100%

The Flames have scored pretty low on the likability scale for the last while, which is why it amazes me that there aren't more people looking at it in this way - he is the most likable Flame since, I don't know but quite a while.

"Let's trade him for a 2nd!!"