What to Make of Alexis Lafreniere's Season Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTg3MjI5MzIzNjU1MTI4OTc0/kuzmenko.jpg] Russia has been dealt a blow before even playing a game. The men's national team announced [https://twitter.com/russiahockey/status/1490295930444259334] on Sunday that forward Andrei Kuzmenko will miss the tournament due to an unspecified injury. Kuzmenko was not originally on Russia's main roster but was expected to play if fully healthy. Kuzmenko is second in KHL scoring with 53 points in 45 games, with rumors emerging of heavy NHL interest in the 26-year-old winger. Kuzmenko had two points in two games at the past World Championship, his only major men's IIHF event to date, after emerging as a true lethal offensive force in the top Russian league. The Ottawa Senators have been linked to Kuzmenko, who has spent the past four years with SKA St. Petersburg. The KHL regular season will not finish as planned, with St. Petersburg entering the playoffs with a Bobrov Division-leading 68 points.
