Deadline acquisition Andrei Kuzmenko is the spark on Kings' offense in first playoffs

New York Times

25-04-2025

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Shooting stars burn bright and often burn out but they're a wonder to see. And when you look at Andrei Kuzmenko's history since coming to the NHL, it is possible his marvelous play for the Los Angeles Kings since his arrival may dim and fade to black at some point.
Time will tell, just as it did in his prior stops with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Five weeks with the Philadelphia Flyers wasn't long enough to tell either way. But the Kings have managed to latch onto a comet blazing through their atmosphere for a wild ride that's continued into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
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The Kings have a 2-0 lead over the Edmonton Oilers and Kuzmenko has been a factor in each of his first two NHL playoff games. But it's just been a continuation of what he was already doing. Ever since they acquired him from the Flyers at the trade deadline, Kuzmenko has given them exactly what they needed — a creative offensive winger who lit a fuse to their often-dormant power play and could mesh with longtime stalwarts Anže Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on their top line.
In a 6-5 Game 1 victory, Kuzmenko got the Kings going with a perfect power-play tap-in off a hard pass from Kevin Fiala and assisted on goals by Kempe and Fiala for a three-point night in an auspicious playoff debut. In a 6-2 Game 2 rout Wednesday, the 29-year-old Russian drew a penalty on Edmonton's Trent Frederic and scored a rebound goal at the net on the ensuing power play. He also assisted on another Kempe goal.
In all, Kuzmenko has five points for a Kings club that has scored the most goals (12) of any team after its first two games.
'Not surprised because that's how he played in the regular season,' Kings coach Jim Hiller said. 'First NHL playoff game, you never know what to expect. He's an older player, so he's got that on his side. But I thought he performed like he has since the trade, done it for us.
'You just got to give him a lot of respect, man. He's really, really done a job. And he had a tough go for a while. He gathered himself. Just really happy for him.'
Hiller repeated that last line. And that's been a reciprocal feeling between Kuzmenko and the third team he's been with in this inexplicable season.
He produced only four goals in 37 games with the Flames and then served as a contract take-back for the Flyers in trading away Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, playing just seven games before a second trade and career rejuvenation with the Kings.
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With the Kings, Kuzmenko went scoreless in his first seven games. They didn't worry. The signs of potent impact were apparent immediately. His know-how in the offensive zone kept plays alive and resulted in goals even if he didn't get on the stat sheet — and then he began to score. Goals in back-to-back 7-2 blowouts of Carolina and Boston were the ignition. He finished the regular season with five goals and 12 assists in his last 15 games.
'He's been good for us since Day 1,' Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov said. 'Made a huge impact, I would say. That's good. He'd been asking me how it was going to be like in a Game 1 or just the playoffs. Just told him (to) do your thing and just be ready physically and mentally. That's about it. I think he showed up prepared to play.'
Kings general manager Rob Blake got Kuzmenko for a third-round draft pick in 2027 while getting the Flyers to retain half of his $5.5 million salary cap hit on an expiring contract. Blake, who's been on a winning run since swapping Pierre-Luc Dubois for starting goalie Darcy Kuemper, is getting the kind of value from Kuzmenko that would usually require surrendering a first-round selection.
At the time, it looked like a low-risk bet on a mercurial forward who's had spells of brilliance mixed in with baffling stretches of meager offense. Instead, a team desperately looking to finally get over on the Oilers after three fruitless tries caught lightning in a bottle.
Here's the running total of the Kings with Kuzmenko (including the playoffs): 19 wins in 24 games, 3.88 goals per game and a power play that's firing at 27.3 percent.
'He's been a really good addition for us right since he got here,' said Kopitar, who had a goal and three assists in Game 2. 'We're going to need him to play like that going forward and keep making plays. Making sure that he and us, as a line, are responsible. Keep being productive.'
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Bruce Boudreau knows what it's like to get the most out of Kuzmenko. In his first NHL season after starring for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, Kuzmenko played for Boudreau in Vancouver and popped for 39 goals and 74 points for the Canucks. But when Boudreau lost his job and Rick Tocchet replaced him as coach the next season, Kuzmenko was no longer a fit and he was traded to Calgary after producing only eight goals and 21 points in 43 games.
Watching what he's doing with Los Angeles, Boudreau said he's more surprised that Kuzmenko didn't continue to flourish with the Canucks or keep up what he did with the Flames to end last season. But he's identified what has made him tick again.
'I think what Hiller has done is he's made him an important piece of the puzzle again,' Boudreau said. 'If you understand … the guys that played in the KHL, when they come over here, they're stars (in that league). They're loved. And if you all of a sudden just try to make them third- and fourth-line players that aren't important, they don't feel important. And I don't think you get as much out of them.
'I told him he was an important piece of the puzzle. I had to sit him out a couple times because they don't check very well a lot of the time. But if you made him feel important — first power play, putting with the best center, tell him you need him — I think he's thriving in that and (that's) what he's doing in L.A.'
It doesn't hurt that Kuzmenko has an infectious personality that endears him to those around him. He's often in the ear of Kempe or Kopitar when they're together on the Kings' bench. His beaming smile is contagious after goals or in their dressing room. He's a willing participant in a group interview session, kindly asking media members to simplify their English so he can better understand questions and best convey his answers in a foreign language.
Boudreau remembers when he arrived in Vancouver. Kuzmenko was part of a team event with local children, and it was hard to tell who was having more fun. 'You can see a personality here that is really large,' the former NHL coach said. 'And he wants to be that guy.'
Because of his buoyant nature, his teammates make plenty of time for him.
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'He's kind of a hockey nerd, too,' forward Warren Foegele said. 'Brings a great personality to this group. Super dynamic and he just loves hockey. He's talking about different plays. That energy, I think we're all feeding off.'
What does he talk about on the bench?
'I want to understand the next move,' Kuzmenko said. 'It's a little bit better for future, for a good moment for a score or passes for a great chance. I love to speak to my partners. I don't know, probably (talk) too much and maybe more speak because Kopi says, 'Yeah, yeah, Kuzy. Yeah, yeah. This moment I understand. OK, Kuzy, a little bit slow. Too much information.' Because the first 10 games, probably every shift I watch on the iPod. I want this play. This my move. Listen to me. And what do you think, Juice? What do you want?
'It's so important moment to me because I need to understand what's in the future. A future Juice moment. A future Kopi moment. It's a little bit key for the game, for success.'
Just don't ask if he watches hockey away from the rink. 'I just work,' he said, sheepishly. 'This is my work.'
'I watch my game,' Kuzmenko continued. 'I never watch the playoffs. I never watch the game in the NHL. But I have one time in my three years. I watched four games when I await visa to go to the U.S. Every day. Because I can't practice. On my trade to Philadelphia, I watch probably seven, eight games. But just one time in my life. That's it.'
In fact, the player Kuzmenko singles out as the one he particularly admires is not a usual Russian hero like Sergei Fedorov or Alex Ovechkin, but Alexander Radulov, the former NHL forward who most notably played for the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars.
But that's part of what makes Kuzmenko unique. Gavrikov, who has known him through their time together on the national team and as KHL opponents, said the winger is always trying to bring something new to the game.
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'He seems involved,' the Kings blueliner said. 'That's all that matters. And he's giving us the best effort he can.'
'I have a good energy,' Kuzmenko said. 'I need to give it to my teams and everybody give back to me, that energy. It's a good connection for everybody. I like it.'
It's been a mesmerizing journey. Four teams in three years. Five coaches, and while he has a special affinity for Boudreau and feels valued by Hiller, Kuzmenko insists each has helped shape him and what he needs to do to last much longer in the league. The future might be uncertain, but the Kings need him now and they're reaping the benefits of his energetic vibe and high-wattage play.
'He's feeling important so he's doing more,' Boudreau said. 'He wants to be a big fish in a small pond, or even a big fish in a big pond. He loves that. You can see it. If you put him on the third line and make him play 13 minutes a game, you're going to get that kind of player. In L.A., they seem to rely on him and he's loving every second of it.'