Kings sign forward Andrei Kuzmenko to one-year contract extension (AAV: $4,300,000)

The LA Kings have signed forward Andrei Kuzmenko to a one-year contract extension, carrying an AAV of $4,300,000 for the 2025-26 season.

This is not particularly surprising based on what we’ve heard from General Manager Ken Holland over the last week or so. There seemed to be some mutual interest on a short-term contract extension between the two sides and today’s agreement is exactly that. A one-year deal provides what feels like a win/win opportunity here. More on that below.

Instant Analysis
Here is why I think a one-year deal here makes a lot of sense.

For the Kings, they get a player who was a good fit here at a reasonable salary-cap hit for next season, without any commitment beyond that and without preventing them from adding another high-impact player in free agency or in a trade. For Kuzmenko, he signs a one-year “prove it” type contract that still pays him well, while auditioning himself on the consistency front for what he would hope is a longer-term contract going forward.

The one-year term mitigates any kind of risk on both sides. For the Kings, Kuzmenko was a great fit last year in a small sample size, but he’s had a history of hot starts that didn’t follow up in Year 2. The contract is not nothing from a cap hit perspective but it’s super manageable and doesn’t prevent the Kings from adding other players to improve the team. For Kuzmenko, while his stock is pretty high off a strong showing with the Kings down the stretch, his value on a long-term contract isn’t as high as his skill level merits. This gives him the chance to prove he can deliver across multiple seasons while the Kings retain a player who liked being here and played well here. If it works again, it sets Kuzmenko up for a longer-term deal for more money than he would have gotten this summer, whether that be with the Kings or elsewhere.

Ken Holland said last week that a big part of Kuzmenko wanting to stay was his relationship with Jim Hiller and the coaching staff with the Kings. Kuzmenko spoke often during the season about having so many coaches on so many teams over the last few years and how he’s struggled sometimes to have that strong relationship. He appreciated that his role wasn’t immediately dwindled when he didn’t produce points over his first few games with the Kings as he got settled in. The patience paid off as he finished the stretch on a tear, with 17 points over his final 15 regular-season games, in addition to six points in six games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While we haven’t heard from Kuzmenko directly, it seems like the player/coach relationship was a big part of his desire to remain with the Kings.

“We like Kuzmenko, the coaches like Kuzmenko, Kuzmenko likes it here,” Holland said. “He likes his role, he likes that he came here and the first seven games, when he didn’t get a point, the coach continued to play him and then he got it going. Anytime you’re a player, the guy standing behind the bench is a big factor on where your career is going, your role and your happiness. Kuzy liked it here because he had a relationship with the coach, he was on the power play, found good chemistry with Koptiar and Kempe.”

Kuzmenko staying is good news both for the linemates he clicked so well with – Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe – as well as for the Kings power play. From opening night through the trade deadline, the Kings were 30th in the NHL on the power play at 15.0 percent. From the trade deadline on, between regular season and playoffs that total nearly doubled to 27.6 percent. They scored 21 goals in 60 games on the front end. They scored 24 goals in 28 games on the backend, including the postseason. Kuzmenko made a huge difference in that area as a playmaker from down low, a threat the Kings sorely missed all season. He was terrific in that role and I’d expect him to slot into the same place next season.

What I also liked about Kuzmenko is that he bought into the things that the Kings value, on top of his offensive production. Kuzmenko was lauded several times by Hiller for his backchecking and commitment away from the puck. Those were knocks on his game coming in that really didn’t show up at all in Los Angeles, nor did it take away from his creativity and playmaking abilities with the puck. He was a really good example of playing within the system without getting away from who he is as a player. He was able to be creative and productive while playing within the system and the structure, which I know was appreciated here.

If he can put those things together again over 82 games, he’ll be a steal at the contract he signed. If he can’t, his power-play impact alone should be quite valuable and the commitment is just one season. That’s why I think this is a pretty good contract on both sides.

Where this signing leaves the Kings going forward is with around $20 million in salary-cap space. Per PuckPedia, the Kings have $18,910,000 in space with 13 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders signed, with that total accounting for a couple of guys who could potentially be assigned to the AHL, freeing up additional space. If the Kings were to add a higher-priced player via free agency or trade, it would likely also include a player either being moved out or to the AHL, which adds to that cap number. Still a very healthy place for the Kings to be entering July 1. If the Kings want to make multiple big-ticket moves tomorrow or going forward they still can and they have several tradeable contracts, if needed, to create additional cap space.

From the team’s official release –

Kuzmenko, 29, played in 22 regular-season games for the Kings last season after being acquired via trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on March 7, 2025. The forward registered five goals and 12 assists for 17 points (5-12=17), including 15 points (5-10=15) in as many contests played at Crypto.com Arena to account for the fifth-most home points by any NHL skater in that span. The 5-11, 195-pound forward made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut this past year with six points (3-3=6) in six games, including a three-point outing (1-2=3) in Game 1 of the First Round to become the second player in franchise history to record a three-point effort in their Stanley Cup Playoffs debut.

The undrafted native of Yakutsk, Russia, made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks in the 2022-23 campaign, tallying a career-high 74 points (39-35=74) in 81 games played in his rookie campaign. Kuzmenko is set to enter his fourth NHL season with a total of 157 points (72-85=157) in 219 regular season appearances split between the Kings, Flyers (2024-25), Calgary Flames (2023-25) and Canucks (2022-24). Of his 72 career tallies, 26 have come on the power-play and 12 have been game-winning markers.

Prior to his NHL career, Kuzmenko skated in parts of eight seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Across 315 regular-season games for CSKA Moskva and SKA St. Petersburg, Kuzmenko accumulating 85 goals and 200 points (85-115=200). The right-shot winger played a total of 61 KHL playoff games, notching 29 points (18-11=29). During the 2021-22 season, Kuzmenko was named the KHL Forward of the Month in December en route to a KHL First All-Star Team selection at the end of the campaign.