After a slow start this fall, early in the regular season in the 2025-26 campaign, Los Angeles Kings head coach Jim Hiller made the move this past Thursday evening to scratch forward Andrei Kuzmenko. At a time when the Kings are busy on a six-game road trip in the midst of a winning streak in the standings in the Pacific Division against the East right now, it's a lot for Hiller to make this move to scratch Kuzmenko this fall.
The decision for Hiller to scratch Kuzmenko from the forward lines this fall comes after the Russian winger only scored three goals and seven total points in the season's first 17 games in the 2025-26 campaign.
Over the past couple of days in practice for the Kings, Kuzmenko has been wearing the gray jersey that signals he's one of the extra forwards in the team drills and the team skate in the morning.
Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider reported on Nov. 15 that Kuzmenko is expected to be a healthy scratch for Hiller and the Kings for the second game in a row this weekend on the road vs. the Senators in Ottawa tonight.
Kuzmenko was immediately a fan favorite in LA after the Kings got great offensive production and a spark in the zone offensively from him this past regular season at the trade deadline in the spring of 2025. Hiller said that this is a "reset opportunity" for Kuzmenko this fall.
Can this light the proper fire under Kuzmenko and help him right the ship this regular season for the Kings in the West?
Hiller spoke about the decision to healthy scratch Kuzmenko with the media yesterday (Nov. 14).
"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 Andrei Kuzmenko
This is a move that Hiller and other Kings' head coaches have done before in the past recently, including with the staff scratching forward Kevin Fiala and defenseman Drew Doughty in past seasons for the team.
"It's not a lack of effort. And It's not like he hasn't played well. It's just, you take Malott out, we figured we lost a little bit there, so we got to pull Malott in. Who's going to come out? We have a lot of veteran guys now, so the choices makes it difficult. So, he'll be back in. I can't tell you exactly when, and I expect him to be a big part of out team before it's over. "Hiller on Kuzmenko
Jeff Malott will be slotted in the line with the fourth-line forward group for Hiller and the Kings tonight for the second straight game vs. Ottawa on Nov. 15.