Philip Maykov, host of his own YouTube channel “HockeyPhil” and commentator participating in the “Slippery Ice” podcast, explained in a comment for socialbites.ca how the transfer of Evgeny Kuznetsov changed the game of the Carolina Hurricanes. According to the expert, the Russian striker was noticeably superior to his partners in the fourth place, so he was transferred to the second three.
“As for what was on the ice, they gave him two games with Kotkaniemi and Fast to try out. It probably wasn’t bad going in. I really remember the commentator’s expression. They played in New Jersey. And the commentator said: “This is not ‘Hurricanes’ hockey.” So It’s not Carolina hockey, where Carolina’s fourth line rolls the puck into the opponent’s zone under control for a minute. It’s definitely not that way. Even Carolina’s first line doesn’t play that way. But at the expense of Kuznetsov, which is how he forced Kotkaniemi and Fast to play. And of course, in thought. They are still not suitable for each other. There was a beautiful moment there too. In the first or second shift, Kuznetsov quickly bounces off the boards to the center, literally turns half his body and with one touch he immediately passes it to the far post and takes it off the boards. Then there is poor Fast, who can only get this puck on his skate he realized when he hit it and he had to turn well the same half length and complete it in one touch because it was there for him. So of course they don’t think like Kuznetsov and I think he forced this fourth ring to move a little bit and that’s why Brindamor moved him a little bit above Genzel and Necas. In principle, they seem to be quite good because they are really similar to each other in terms of their level of thinking,” Maykov explained.
Kuznetsov played eight games for Carolina and collected 5 (2+3) points with a +3 utility rating. In total, he scored 22 (8+14) points with a -7 benefit indicator in 51 matches played this season.
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