"Andrei is a player we worked extremely hard to recruit last summer," said Allvin. "He has been an excellent fit for our forward group this season, transitioning very well to the North American style of play. 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 Vancouver Canucks."
Kuzmenko, 26, has appeared in 47 games with the Canucks this season, recording 43 points (21-22-43), four penalty minutes and a +4 plus-minus ranking. The winger leads all Vancouver skaters in shooting percentage (24.7%) and ranks third in the NHL in that category (min. 20 GP).
The 5'11", 194-pound forward ranks second on the team in goals (21) and power play goals (9) this season. His 43 points are also tied for third on the team in overall scoring, while his 32 even strength points (12-20-32) are second on the Canucks.
Kuzmenko leads all first-year NHLers in almost every offensive category, including goals, assists (t-1st), points, points per game (0.91), power play goals, and power play points (11, t-1st). He has also produced 14 multi-point games so far this season (second-most on the Canucks), highlighted by his first-career NHL hat-trick and season-high four-point game (3-1-4) on Nov. 3 vs Anaheim.
A native of Yakutsk, Russia, Kuzmenko spent his first eight professional seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with CSKA Moscow and SKA St. Petersburg, registering 200 points (85-115-200) in 315 regular season games. He set career-highs in goals (20), assists (33), and points (53) in 2021.22, ranking second in the league in scoring.
Kuzmenko has also represented his country on the international stage on multiple occasions, totalling 16 points (10-6-16) and six penalty minutes in 37 games played. He was originally signed by Vancouver to a one-year, entry-level contract on July 13, 2022.
