What can forward Andrei Kuzmenko do this season with the Calgary Flames? 25 points in 29 games in 2023-24 suggest he could be a near-point-per-game player, but consistency issues have hurt his reputation. But, in a contract year and the right situation, he could go a long way toward repairing it. How much can he produce?

Kuzmenko is the first in my series of Flames Players to Watch because of his unique situation. He's likely to get first-line minutes with Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich, he'll get first-unit power play time, and he just so happens to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Kuzmenko is the type of player who could explode offensively, having already proven he's capable of a 40-goal season (he scored 39 in his rookie year with the Vancouver Canucks.) The Flames are going to let him loose and not stifle his offensive gifts, and if he puts any effort into becoming a stronger 200-ft player, he will be a candidate for the top offensive threat on the team.

That could lead to an extension or he'll be a hot commodity at the trade deadline.

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The Flames are rebuilding, but who stays with the team and is seen as a large part of the core remains to be seen. Is Kuzmenko one of those guys? Does he want to be here as the Flames suffer through several losses?

And, if he does explode offensively, what kind of return can the Flames get if they move him at the deadline? Could he fetch a first-rounder? That's exactly the kind of asset the Flames will be looking for and it would be hard to pass up if available.

Our Projections:

Kuzmenko can get 40 goals and 40 assists. Heck, let's round up and call him a point-per-game player who gets 41 and 41. That's going to lead to several conversations about his future and a likely debate about what the Flames should do with him this season.