Canucks F Kuzmenko to remain a scratch vs. Stars
Published
Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko will remain a healthy scratch for Thursday's game against the Dallas Stars.
Kuzmenko has struggled in his second NHL season after posting 39 goals and 74 points in 81 games last season. He has six goals and 17 points in 29 games this season.
He was benched for Tuesday's 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators, having also been scratched for two games at the end of November.
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said Thursday he will keep Tuesday's lineup in place after stating Tuesday he would reevaluate following the Predators game.
He saw his ice time drop to just 11:09 in Vancouver's 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, his most recent game in the lineup.
"He's got to get his game a little bit more sharpened up," Tocchet said on Nov. 27, as Kuzmenko sat out two games. "It's not about last year, it's about this year for us. And he's a guy that needed a reset."
Kuzmenko inked a two-year, $11 million contract with the Canucks in the off-season.
The Canucks enter Thursday's game sitting second in the Pacific Division with a 22-9-2 record this season.