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LATEST | It's confirmed for Andrei Kuzmenko

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Owen Fullerton
December 19, 2023 (2:08 PM)

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Photo credit: https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/vancouver-canucks-to-try-to-re-sign-andrei-kuzmenko-amid-trade-interest-1.1904556

For the second time this year, Andrei Kuzmenko will be a healthy scratch for the Vancouver Canucks.

Head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed that the winger would be out of the lineup on Tuesday night in Nashville, and had little to say about his choice.

I'm trying to win a game and I felt this was the best lineup and we'll re-evaluate for the Dallas game,

Tocchet said.

It's the fourth time this season Kuzmenko has been a healthy scratch, with Tocchet taking particular issue with the Russian's forechecking.

He should be the first guy on the forecheck and for whatever reason he always ends up behind everybody, and you can't play that way,

Tocchet said.

Kuzmenko has 6 goals and 17 points in 29 games this year, and in a win on Sunday had only two shifts in the third period.

Last year, Kuzmenko had 39 goals and 74 points in 81 games, but the winger hasn't been impactful since signing a new two year deal worth $5.5 million per year.

Nils �man will draw into the lineup in place of Kuzmenko, with puck drop at 5 PM PST.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/vancouver-canucks-to-scratch-andrei-kuzmenko-again-vs-nashville-predators-1.2051008

POLL
19 DECEMBRE \| 835 ANSWERS LATEST \| It's confirmed for Andrei Kuzmenko Is scratching Kuzmenko the right decision?
Yes	391	46.8 %
No	444	53.2 %
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LATEST | It's confirmed for Andrei Kuzmenko

For the second time this year, Andrei Kuzmenko will be a healthy scratch for the Vancouver Canucks.

Is scratching Kuzmenko the right decision?