After scoring 39 goals in 2022-2023, Kuzmenko is having a rough time adjusting to Tocchet's systems and asks. There is no doubt that the Russians have high-end offensive abilities, but Tocchet is trying to make a two-way player out of him while building a cup-contending team.
Kuzmenko's agent came out earlier and addressed the situation. According to him, there's constant communication between the two parties, and everybody still wants to work in the same direction. It'll be interesting to see how it unfolds from there.