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Kings ink former 74-point scorer to $4.3 million deal
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- Kings ink former 74-point scorer to $4.3 million deal
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The post Kings ink former 74-point scorer to $4.3 million deal appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Los Angeles Kings have announced they will continue to benefit from Andrei Kuzmenko's talents. The 29-year-old left-winger signed a one-year contract extension worth $4.3 million for the 2025-26 season.
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Kuzmenko was acquired in a trade with the Flyers and stepped in to contribute immediately. After being a little inconsistent at first, Kuzmenko tallied 17 points in 22 games, with 15 points being scored at Crypto.com Arena, which made him arguably the best home player at that rink during that period. Kuzmenko also made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut, scoring six points in six games, including a three-point performance in Game 1, only the second such performance in franchise history by a player in their playoffs debut.
Kuzmenko started his NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022, registering an impressive 74 points in his rookie year. As he regressed in 2023-24, the undrafted Russian forward has recorded 157 points in 219 NHL games, playing for four teams in three years. Kuzmenko scored 72 total goals, of which 26 were powerplay goals, and 12 were game-winning.
Before entering the NHL, Kuzmenko spent eight years in the Kontinental Hockey League and had 85 goals and 200 points in 315 games. Kuzmenko received KHL Forward of the Month in December 2021 and was named to the KHL First All-Star Team for the same season.
Kings general manager Ken Holland mentioned Kuzmenko's better chemistry with teammates and coaching staff was a significant reason behind the extension. Holland highlighted that Kuzmenko is a player who can recover from a slow start by mentioning that he put up 17 points in the last 15 regular-season games following the trade deadline. He indicated the consistency and commitment to the team's structure as reasons to finalize the deal.
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The Kings have about $19 million in salary cap space and are in a strong position to improve their roster while also being flexible. Resigning Kuzmenko, who can be a powerplay facilitator or a solid depth scorer, provides the Kings with a reliable asset while the team prepares for another run at the playoffs.
