Flames Forward's Future Uncertain But More Production Is Key To New Contract

Andrei Kuzmenko is one of those players who is easily one of the most skilled on the Calgary Flames roster, but sometimes struggles to be effective.

Whether it's confidence, structure, or execution, there are times when he looks like a 40-goal scorer and others when he looks like a liability.

During a massive 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night, Kuzmenko took a seat on the bench for nearly the entire last half of the game. He didn't see a shift for the final 27 minutes as Flames head coach Ryan Huska delivered a message.

Amid the celebration of the slump-snapping win, Huska was asked to address the lack of Kuzmenko — who played just 10:25 minutes against the Devils.

He found himself skating on the fourth line in Saturday's practice and looked motivated to show his coach he got the message.

“He wasn’t moving his feet all that much,” Huska said Friday.

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On Sunday, there was a huge response from the 28-year-old winger, who was dynamic against the Edmonton Oilers despite the Flames coming out on the losing end of a 4-2 contest at the Saddledome.

Although his pointless streak was extended to four games and he had just a single shot on goal, the fun-loving Russian was often carrying the puck into the offensive zone and made the Flames powerplay look dangerous at times.

There was hustle and battle and all the things you want to see from the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent.

But there's the catch with Kuzmenko — his contract status is a tough thing to ignore. It may not be top of mind for him, but there is no talk of extension and he's up high on most insiders' lists of potential trade candidates as the Calgary Flames continue to build for the future.

A productive Kuzmenko is best for either scenario. He's beloved in the locker-room for his playful ways and positivity. He loves to score and criticized his own game even after scoring a goal and netting four assists through the first four games of this season. He knows the only way to garner a lucrative contract — either with the Flames or elsewhere — is to look more like the overaged rookie that put up 74 points (39 goals and 35 assists) with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022-23.

Getting stuck on the fourth line with Kevin Rooney and Ryan Lomberg isn't the best path for that to happen. The Flames travelled on Monday but after a pretty good performance on Sunday, it will be interesting to see if Kuzmenko moves back up in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Montreal Canadiens.