Russian lessons may be in the future for Vancouver Canucks centre Elias Pettersson.
The Swedish star is skating alongside new additions Andrei Kuzmenko and Illya Mikheyev at training camp in Whistler, B.C., this week, creating a line that Pettersson said could have a lot to offer.
鈥淚 think all three of us, we bring different aspects of the game,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ikheyev, he鈥檚 super fast, he opens up for us. And me and Kuzmenko are maybe kind of similar in the way we play.鈥�
Vancouver picked up Mikheyev on the free agent market in July, signing the former Toronto Maple Leaf to a four-year, US$19-million contract.
The 27-year-old right-winger had 32 points in 53 games for the Leafs last season, then added two goals and two assists in seven playoff appearances.
Kuzmenko, 26, comes to the Canucks from the KHL on a one-year, entry-level deal. The five-foot-11, 194-pound forward produced 52 points and 10 penalty minutes in 45 games with St. Petersburg SKA last season.
The duo are familiar with one another, having played 鈥渁 couple of shifts鈥� together on the Russian national team four or five years ago, Mikheyev said.
鈥淥ne good thing, we can speak the same language and I can help him understand when guys tell him something,鈥� he said.
Both new additions are 鈥減retty skilled鈥� and stood out on the first day of training camp on Thursday, said Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau.
鈥淵ou could see the skill in them, you could see the release in the shot,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to make too many comparisons at all, but Kuzmenko鈥檚 release is a lot like (Alex Ovechkin鈥檚) release, looking at both of them off the left side.
鈥淚 think they played with energy. And you could tell that they weren鈥檛 just out here, they wanted to make a good impression. I think they did.鈥�
It won鈥檛 be long before fans are captivated not only by Kuzmenko鈥檚 play, but by his personality, too, Boudreau added.
鈥淚 said the first day I saw him, 鈥業f this guy鈥檚 as good as advertised, he鈥檚 going to take the city by storm,鈥� he said.
Vancouver has made an impression on Kuzmenko, too. He鈥檚 been in the city for several weeks, skating with his new teammates, exploring the city, and taking in concerts and a Vancouver Whitecaps soccer game.
鈥淰ancouver is a beautiful city for me. I like the place, the mountains, the ocean, the forest. I like it,鈥� he said. 鈥�
Kuzmenko is looking forward to seeing how his game translates to the NHL鈥檚 smaller ice, saying he likes to play in tight spaces.
Asked whether he could be even more successful on the smaller surface, the charismatic forward grinned.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see,鈥� he said.
Pulling on a Canucks jersey has been somewhat surreal for one of the team鈥檚 other off-season acquisitions.
Growing up in Salmon Arm, B.C., Vancouver was the team Curtis Lazar cheered for. Signing with his hometown club as a free agent in July was a natural fit, the 27-year-old forward said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible. It still hasn鈥檛 really sunk in,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd you鈥檝e seen all the development staff, too, the former players. I mean, I grew up watching those guys, and now they鈥檙e coaching me or whatnot. So it鈥檚 pretty cool.鈥�
Lazar comes to the Canucks on a one-year, $1-million deal after tallying 16 points and 16 penalty minutes for the Boston Bruins last season.
Originally picked 17th overall by Ottawa in the 2013 NHL entry draft, the six-foot, 203-pound forward has played for the Bruins, Senators, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres over eight seasons in the league.
At training camp, he鈥檚 skating on a line with fellow new addition Dakota Joshua and depth centre Jason Dickenson.
鈥�(Lazar鈥檚) got the experience, he鈥檚 aggressive, he鈥檚 played on winners,鈥� Boudreau said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 an NHL hockey player and you give him a shot at scoring, he鈥檚 going to score. He鈥檚 going to kill penalties, he鈥檚 going to bring a lot to this team.鈥�
Being able to have an on-ice impact for your favourite team is a special opportunity, Lazar said.
And he sees big things for a Canucks team that finished last season five points out of a playoff spot with a 40-30-12 record.
鈥淣ine years in the league, this is the most skill and speed I鈥檝e seen on a team,鈥� Lazar said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a matter of us putting it together, playing hard collectively, and we鈥檒l be all right.鈥�
鈥擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
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