Canucks ink Russian forward Andrei Kuzmenko to 2-year extension

The Vancouver Canucks have agreed to a contract extension with Andrei Kuzmenko.

The 26-year-old Russian forward will stay in Vancouver after inking a two-year deal with the Canucks today.

It will pay him $5.5 million per season, a significant raise over his current $950,000 salary that he was mandated to as a first-year NHL player when he signed his first contract in July.

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Andrei Kuzmenko on a two-year extension with an average annual value of $5.5 million. pic.twitter.com/1hs6WHsaLz

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 26, 2023

"Andrei is a player we worked extremely hard to recruit last summer. He has been an excellent fit for our forward group this season, transitioning very well to the North American style of play,” said GM Patrick Allvin.

“His passion and enthusiasm for the game has made a positive impact in the dressing room among his teammates and we are excited to watch him continue his career with the Canucks."

Kuzmenko has been everything Canucks fans had hoped for and more since coming over from the KHL to make his NHL debut.

He has 21 goals and 43 points in 47 games and leads all first-year NHL players in nearly every offensive category.

One of Vancouver’s most dangerous players, he has established an impressive chemistry with Canucks superstar Elias Pettersson.

While there’s no doubt that locking up a player of Kuzmenko’s value for $5.5 million per season is a great deal, there are mixed reactions from Canucks fans.

As the team continues to struggle, many fans were hoping that the club would deal Kuzmenko at the trade deadline to help restock the club’s prospect cupboard and draft picks.

Kuzmenko’s contract also seemingly increases the chances that the Canucks will try and trade captain Bo Horvat before the March 3 deadline.

Horvat will be looking for a hefty raise this year, which the Canucks don’t exactly have the cap room for, and his value may never be higher as he’s on pace for a 50-goal season.