Los Angeles Kings Forward Andrei Kuzmenko, who has been sidelined since Feb. 25, is back skating on his own, but the latest update doesn't look like we'll see him back on the ice full-time any time soon.
Saturday afternoon, we got the latest update on Andrei Kuzmenko's injury status. According to interim head coach D.J. Smith, Kuzmenko has reportedly started skating on his own but is nowhere near returning to the lineup and hasn't rejoined the group yet.
The Los Angeles Kings are in the midst of a crucial seven-game home stand starting tonight against the Utah Mammoth, which will indicate whether they make the playoffs in April or miss the postseason entirely.
However, there is a good chance we see Kuzmenko return as early as the playoffs if the Kings make it. The Russian forward has missed 15 games after undergoing successful surgery to repair a torn meniscus over a month ago.
While it seemed like Kuzmenko would miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing surgery, the latest report from Smith suggests that we can't rule out the possibility of a potential return.
Kuzmenko fell to the ice after a scary hit to the face with a puck against the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 25 and headed to the locker room. While it was initially not labeled as a serious injury, later we found out that Kuzmenko tore his meniscus due to how awkwardly he fell down after taking the hit.
Without Kuzmenko, the Kings have gone 6-6-3 in the 15 games he's missed. And recently snapped a four-game losing streak on Thursday, defeating the Vancouver Canucks.
Kuzmenko not only adds another offensive threat for the Kings, but his playmaking and ability to set up teammates are also very valuable to Los Angeles.
The 30-year-old could be the X-factor for the Kings come playoff time if he returns healthy. Before going down, Kuz was having a great season, recording 13 goals, 12 assists, and 25 points.
Now, with the addition of Artemi Panarin and Quinton Byfield recently playing at a high level, if Kuzmemko returns, all of a sudden, the Kings will be a very dangerous team on offense in the postseason.
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