Andrei Kuzmenko hasn't had a very good season for the Calgary Flames so far and now he's sitting out

Andrei Kuzmenko isn't alone in his offensive struggles, but he's being singled out for Tuesday's game between his Calgary Flames and the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

The news is somewhat overshadowed by the presence of Johnny Gaudreau's family and the pre-game ceremony honouring the Gaudreau brothers who were tragically killed in an accident at the end of the summer, but Kuzmenko's benching is significant. 

The 28-year-old has struggled all season, scoring just once and earning nine points through the first 25 games. Undeniably one of the most offensively talented Flames players, Kuzmenko hasn't been shooting enough and is showing clear signs of frustration and a lack of confidence. 

“Sometimes a player just needs to take a step back and catch his breath a little bit. I think Andrei is in that category right now,” head coach Ryan Huska told reporters after the morning skate on Tuesday. “Watching a game and having a little different view as to what’s going on and where he is a good player sometimes is important, just to take a step back and have a chance to watch.”

There are a number of reasons the Flames need Kuzmenko to be productive. For one, as an expiring contract, a dynamic offensive threat with no future commitment in place financially is a huge trade asset to shop to teams contending for the Stanley Cup this season. 

The Flames have also shown some playoff potential themselves early this season, although all the underlying numbers may suggest otherwise, so having Kuzmenko looking more like the 39-goal scorer he was as a rookie rather than the guy who has been up and down ever since would benefit Calgary by improving the opportunity for more wins. 

So far, Kuzmenko has not contributed much to the overall Calgary Flames record. 

As mentioned previously, however, Kuzmenko is not alone in underperforming offensively. The team has averaged just 2.52 goals per game so far. No player is on pace for more than 50 points and only a pair — Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau — are projected to hit 20 goals. 

With a pair of prospects called up, including former first-rounder Jakob Pelletier, we'll soon discover if this sitting can help re-set Kuzmenko. He was a healthy scratch for a handful of games with the Vancouver Canucks before being traded to the Calgary Flames but was rejuvenated after that, scoring 14 times in 29 games down the stretch with his new team.

The Flames could use more of that.