Yet another Kuzmenko. But it’s all anyone seems to be talking about right now.
I haven’t heard Tocchet go into this much detail about Kuzmenko before.
Some items I took away from this:
– doesn’t know if he will play on Saturday yet
– seems like even in practice there are issues with him playing the systems
– other players are also trying to help him
– he’s not picking on him and thinks he’s a great guy
– he knows it’s up to the coaching staff to help him get his confidence back
– doesn’t matter to him if he scores but he needs to be better at the forecheck
The bringing of the video he speaks about Rutherford and then about Matthews – Kuzmenko part starts at 2:05 and goes on for about 5 minutes.
Also totally unrelated but have I been saying Mikheyev wrong this whole time? He pronounced it differently than how I would say it. Hmmmm…..
by CamaroGirl96
21 Comments
He’ll bounce back like boeser
Kuzy redemption arc incoming
It’s weird that his forechecking has become such an issue.
I wouldn’t think forechecking would be that difficult.
The quote I read from Tocchet earlier today was something like ‘*too often he’s the obvious guy who will arrive first on the forecheck but then somehow he doesn’t arrive first*’
In last nights post game interview Tocchet made a point about bringing up Hoglander’s turnover and said ‘*I’m not going to bench a guy for making a mistake*’.
He then proceeded to say ‘*…we put him (Hog) out in the last 2 minutes to protect the lead, and he was so relentless on the forecheck they couldn’t get out of their own zone*.’
I feel that entire part of the interview was Tocchet trying to quietly explain what the problem is. He can live with Kuzy’s mistakes just like he can live with Hog’s; what he can’t live with is Kuzy not going all out on the forecheck every single time.
From that same Province article talking about his issues on the forecheck (mid-December I believe) they point out while everyone thinks Tocchet is being unfair or extra hard on Kuzy, at the time the article was written Kuzmenko had the *4th highest ice time on the team out of all the forwards*.
I think Kuzy’s biggest issue is his conditioning. He’s not the fastest guy, but if you’re moving your feet you can get in as the F1. That is, unless, you’re literally too tired to do so and your feet feel like they weigh 100lbs each, which is how I generally feel by the 3rd period of my beer league games.
I, however, am not paid 5.5M to play this game. Kuzy often looks gassed throughout the game, and is physically unable to forecheck the way Tocchet wants.
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I’ve been watching him very closely and I am pretty sure I know what the issue is. It seems like sometimes the effort level isn’t there and I see it on forechecks and also on changes. Like he just coasts to the bench, same thing with the forecheck. Maybe it takes him a split second to remember oh yeah I’m the guy that had to go or maybe it’s just the hustle. But it definitely seems like in a lot of cases he just doesn’t get where he needs to go fast enough, which is strange because the hustle is there going to the net, but not after. Could be a conditioning issue too.
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It can be hard to learn a new style of play at speed. He is probably trying. But his instincts are not to go 100 mph on the forecheck. He probably knows he’s supposed to. But in the moment, he’s still thinking and it’s just not natural for him – he probably is simultaneously thinking oh shit move my feet, but also, wait the puck might go there and it could be a chance, etc. Not sure when or ever he will adjust.
If you watch kuzy’s play.. he almost always loses any board battle he engages and like tocchet says.. sometimes he’s the first forechecker in but somehow he ends up not.. this is what I see too. He floats around and does not forecheck and when/if he does, the effort just isn’t there.. rarely wins board battles.
If you can’t defend well at least be in the right position in the defensive zone and be good in your forechecks.. this is what tocchet is asking but he isn’t doing either. Sad to see
He almost never engages in puck battles anywhere on the ice. When he does, he wins less than 10% of those battles, and it’s never due to physical play.
Seriously, watch his shifts, he’s the only guy on the team like this, and it sticks out like a sore thumb.
Everyone on the team is battling for every inch and he’s just a passenger at this point. Definitely should trade him as he will never be that player. It’s not in his nature.
Honestly, I don’t see him in the NHL in the next 3-5 years unless something changes with his game.
Tocchet pronounced Mikheyev the same way the ARI commentators were saying. I’ve been saying it like Shorty has been so I’m confused
For the sake of chemistry.. i really hope we keep kuzy,, and add key players using farm roster or picks.. remember Miracle on Ice? How the team dont want to add another player to the team?? We are like that team..
Funny how Garland just unintenionally created their line a “no name line”” lol
Thought after hearing John Shannon on D&D: Kuzmenko for Tarasenko?
I think kuzmenko has a bad habit of not attacking on the forecheck. He just skates in and floats where as garland is literally looking through guys wallets on forechecks.
Is forechecking in hockey difficult?
It is applying pressure towards the opposing player that is carrying the puck in the offensive zone.
Sure, you’ll be gassed but you ensure that the opposing team has very little time to make a play and increase the likelihood of a turn over.
Tocchet had treated Kuz so well considering he’s a player that obviously isn’t a fit in the system. Compare this to how Tortz or Keenan would have treated a similar situation in the past. Great coaching, awesome player. I really enjoy being a Canucks fan this year. I hope Kuz can turn it around as a Canuck, but if not I hope he’s successful on his next team.
Why is it so hard for Kuzmenko to forecheck? lol. Forechecking is really just about effort. So is there an issue with his effort?
I think part of the problem with kuzmenko is that he doesn’t seem to have the conditioning to get in and battle on the forecheck. You can see that he is dragging his ass to get there, if he even decides to try, and then slowly just gets off the ice when his teammates are still out there.
Go see stats here and sort by **Hits** and you’ll notice a problem for someone with 39GP: [https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/VAN/2024.html](https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/VAN/2024.html)
As much as I want Kuz to turn things around I just feel for the guy, he lost all confidence. At this point I am certain he will be traded.