It looks like the Los Angeles Kings will have forward Andrei Kuzmenko back in the active lineup with the top-nine forward lines late this week to round out the six-game road trip on Thursday night in Northern California. Kuzmenko is expected to be put on a line with the top-six forward group tomorrow, on Nov. 20, with center captain Anze Kopitar and winger Trevor Moore.
Andrei Kuzmenko re-joining the top-six forward lines for the Los Angeles Kings tomorrow vs. the San Jose Sharks
Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported on Nov. 19 that Kuzmenko will return to the lineup for the Kings on Thursday (Nov. 20) against the San Jose Sharks.
In a press conference today, new general manager Ken Holland spoke on Kuzmenko and the decision to scratch him in the past couple of weeks for Hiller and staff for the Kings.
"He obviously was, at the trade deadline, he was a big piece at making the power play go, and the scoring offense, so he’s a guy that can provide offense. Hopefully this reset gets him going the way he was at the end of last year."Ken Holland on Andrei Kuzmenko
Hiller said the decision to healthy scratch Kuzmenko this past week was to get him a reset this fall.
"Kuzy was such an important addition for our team last year and brought us so much both five-on-five and on the power play. And this year it's just, probably hasn't gone as well for him as he or we had expected. "Jim Hiller on Kuzmenko
After he was benched in the third period in the final frame last week on the road on Nov. 11 against the Montreal Canadiens in a 5-1 win, Kuzmenko was a healthy scratch for Hiller and the Kings for the past three games during the six-game road trip in the East this past week.
Hiller and the Kings will give Kuzmenko an opportunity to come in right away and be put in a position to find success offensively, with a top-six forward line role playing alongside Kopitar at center and Moore on the wing.
Kuzmenko has scored three goals and seven total points for the Kings in 17 games played this regular season. The Kings (10-6-4) will face the Sharks (9-8-1) in the finale of a six-game road trip in San Jose at the SAP Center on Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. PT.