Canucks sign Andrei Kuzmenko to two-year contract extension

The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Andrei Kuzmenko to a two-year contract extension with a reported annual average value of $5.5 million.

Kuzmenko’s agent Dan Milstein tweeted the news Thursday morning.

Multiple insiders, including Elliotte Friedman, Chris Johnston, and others reported that the contract carries an annual average value of $5.5 million. Kevin Weekes of ESPN and Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dhali — The Team both reported a modified no-trade clause with the deal. Dhaliwal stated that the extension’s M-NTC is a 12 team no-trade list.

Kuzmenko signed as a free agent this past offseason after spending his entire pro career in his home country of Russia. Last season with St. Petersburg SKA, Kuzmenko tallied 20 goals and 33 assists through 45 games.

Kuzmenko has found a home on Elias Pettersson’s wing this season, as the two have shown great chemistry with one another. In his rookie NHL season, the soon to be 27 year-old Kuzmenko has registered 21 goals and 22 assists through 47 games played. It will be interesting to see how Kuzmenko plays under new head coach Rick Tocchet.

Because of his unique contract situation, plenty of teams were interested in trading for Kuzmenko ahead of the March 3rd NHL Trade Deadline, but the Canucks indicated to those teams all along that their main intention was to get Kuzmenko re-signed. And now they have.

What are your thoughts on Andrei Kuzmenko’s new contract? Let us know in the comments section below!