Value of: Kulikov or Vatanen to the Leafs

[Unbiased Fan]

Won't Kulikov be the best rental d-man available? Did I forget about expiring d-man of some selling team?

Ekholm and savard are only 2 good dman on the market.

 

[Eggtimer]

Lol Taylor Hall won’t even get a 1st let alone Kulikov

Like the guy says , Devils shouldn’t move Kulikov and would likely take an overpayment to move him . That and the Hall comparison is trash . He has a pro rated 8 mil cap hit vs 1 mil , plus there are not many D around that can play as your #4 , hits , is good defensively , moves the puck well and okays with grit . I’d say a late conditional 1st is not that far off .

 

[Eggtimer]

Ekholm and savard are only 2 good dman on the market.

And would cost more in $ cap and assets .

 

[banks]

I always liked Vatanen. I think he'd be a great depth/insurance piece for a playoff run.

I wouldn't flinch to give a 4th, assuming that move doesn't interfere with adding a goalie or forward. Those positions are a higher priority for Toronto.

 

[Moose and Squirrel]

Vatanen for a conditional 4th that moves up to a 3rd if the leafs make the conference finals

Most devils fans do not want to trade kulikov and would like to resign him. Something like kulikov for a conditional 2nd that moves up to a 1st if the leafs make the second round.

I would add Murray’s value would probably be right in the middle of those two: conditional 3rd that moves up to a second if the leafs make the conference finals

I didn't think you could put conditions on trades anymore?

 

[thethinglonger]

I didn't think you could put conditions on trades anymore?

As far as I'm aware teams are still able to add conditions to a trade, but the only one no longer permitted is the condition based on the player signing a contract with the new team.

 

[RSeen]

If the Leafs are adding an extra defenceman, they should probably look at a guy who can play defence. Vatanen isn’t that.

If the Leafs are giving up a first, it’s for a better player than Kulikov. Never mind the fact Kulikov would be in the press box unless he’s in the lineup for Dermott.

Kulikov has been outstanding this year. He would most definitely not be in the press box.

 

[Oneiro]

NVM

 

[NK94]

Kulikov has been outstanding this year. He would most definitely not be in the press box.

Can Kulikov play the right side? Because if anything, the Leafs need an extra blueliner that could give Bogosian the night off here or there. Dermott’s been largely unnoticeable, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing either.

 

[TML1967]

Kulikov is quietly having one of the more remarkable turnaround seasons of anybody in recent memory. Discarded bottom pairing defender who just hit 30 and the Devils picked up for basically nothing with no expectations and he’s essentially played like an elite...not just good but elite second pairing defender. With all the hubbub around the cost of guys like Savard, I’m not sure why more teams don’t target Kulikov who has been much, much better.

His goals for obviously influenced by a horrid team but I mean just across the board Kulikov has been a boss this year. There’s a lot more to trade cost than talent and there’s a reason a dirt cheap, reliable second pairing defender who does all the things any competing team wants to add would have value in the same range as a Taylor Hall.

Honestly no idea he was having a decent bounce back year, good for him.
Any idea what he has changed? He has always thrown decent hits and been relatively gritty, but positionally flawed and not the smartest defender.

• Highest defensive zone start % of his career, so not like his usage has been easier
• Positive Corsi and Corsi Rel
• 97.8 PDO, so not like he is getting overly lucky. (.917sv% is a small bit above league average

If he is 'this player' I wouldnt mind him on the Leafs third pair, with the only issue being him and Bogosian means no puck mover, and you have two guys who throw grenades up the ice.

At the same time, if he isnt 'this player' I want him to stay on the Devils in his happy place, and let him thrive.

 

[Blackjack]

Honestly no idea he was having a decent bounce back year, good for him.
Any idea what he has changed? He has always thrown decent hits and been relatively gritty, but positionally flawed and not the smartest defender.

• Highest defensive zone start % of his career, so not like his usage has been easier
• Positive Corsi and Corsi Rel
• 97.8 PDO, so not like he is getting overly lucky. (.917sv% is a small bit above league average

If he is 'this player' I wouldnt mind him on the Leafs third pair, with the only issue being him and Bogosian means no puck mover, and you have two guys who throw grenades up the ice.

At the same time, if he isnt 'this player' I want him to stay on the Devils in his happy place, and let him thrive.

I didn't watch him before he got to NJ, so I can't say what changed, but he has been positionally sound and very intelligent for us, and he certainly plays the physical game you're referring to.

I haven't looked at his transition stats, but I feel like he has moved the puck very well and even carried it into the offensive zone to setup plays with some regularity. He's incredibly unlucky to not have more assists. I've heard that there's a lot of interest in him around the league, but who knows, I guess we'll see soon enough.

P.K. Subban, who looked absolutely cooked last year, has looked close to a #1 playing next to Kulikov.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

And would cost more in $ cap and assets .

Better players usually do...

 

[Guffman]

Most devils fans do not want to trade kulikov and would like to resign him. Something like kulikov for a conditional 2nd that moves up to a 1st if the leafs make the second round.

Late to the party but LMAO... a conditional first for Kulikov?!

Oh man... good times!

BTW, you can always resign him after the rental period.

 

[FerrisRox]

Never mind the fact Kulikov would be in the press box unless he’s in the lineup for Dermott.

I love that use the word "fact" and then say something so ridiculous that it makes it crystal clear that you have no clue what kind of player Kulikov has been this season.

This is classic.

 

[devils29]

Kulikov is not worth a first, but as someone who has been playing at an elite level this year (no im not kidding, he seriously is according to the numbers) I wouldnt be surprised to see a team like Colorado who has some injuries to give theirs up to make sure they get their guy.

 

[FerrisRox]

Lol Taylor Hall won’t even get a 1st let alone Kulikov

This is a really odd comment.

If the Devils made Kulikov available, there would likely be 10 to 15 teams with a keen interest depending on price.

If the Sabres made Hall available, they would have to retain heavily and perhaps take back an undesirable contract to get any teams interested.

I don't think you are making the point you think you are making.

 

[FerrisRox]

If he is 'this player' I wouldnt mind him on the Leafs third pair, with the only issue being him and Bogosian means no puck mover, and you have two guys who throw grenades up the ice.

In terms of moving the puck he is significantly better than Bogosian. The Leafs would have no concerns with pairing him with Bogosian.

That being said, if the Leafs are really serious about improving their blue line, a deal that moves Bogosian to the #7 slot and makes him available for spot duty would be ideal.

 

[Blackjack]

Late to the party but LMAO... a conditional first for Kulikov?!

Oh man... good times!

BTW, you can always resign him after the rental period.

It will be really interesting to see what the return is. A guy that was a third pairing cast off has a career year at 30 with a $1.15 million cap hit. Don't know if there's a precedent for this kind of rental.

 

[Guttersniped]

With the deadline just over a week away it's safe to say NJ is a seller.

With the Leafs looking to add the final cuo pieces in their push for a championship what woul Kulikov and/or Vatanen cost?

As a Devils fan I can tell you they are very different players, enormously different.

Kulikov should be pricier, he makes 1.15m and he’s playing great while getting the toughest minutes on our defense. (His year is similar to Holl, Holl has averaged over 21:12 minutes while Kulikov has averaged 19:39. Due to his strong play Kulikov had averaged 18:51 in his first 17 games and then averaged 20:23 over the last 18 games. He and Vatanen have been the teams best defenseman PKers (for what that’s worth).

Vatanen signed late and played his first game in February. He had a rough start but has been improving, he’s averaging 17:05 minutes over the season (26 games). For some strange reason Ruff has him mainly PKing and he’s not on either PP unit even though that’s been his bread and butter in past years. Sami makes 2m, and while Kulikov isn’t exactly an iron man, Vats is Mr Glass. Vats should go for less unless he’s still coasting on rep.

The Leafs (and any other team) should go for Kulikov unless you need a defenseman for the power play, because even if Vats is inexplicably not on our terrible PP he’s excelled on it before. (I’m assuming Vats is cheaper in this scenario.)

 

[Guttersniped]

 

[Guttersniped]

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

The word you are looking for is OUTLIER. As a Jet fan I hope the Leafs pay a 2nd just so they can become a worse team and get to play against Kulikov. People considering a 2nd for him are out of their minds the ones considering giving a first I am not allowed to describe by HF rules.

Its clear you have not watched Kulikov whatsoever this year

I know most Jets fans hated him, but he has been really good for the Devils this year overall.

 

[TS Quint]

Its clear you have not watched Kulikov whatsoever this year

I know most Jets fans hated him, but he has been really good for the Devils this year overall.

I haven’t disagreed with Devils fans on how he has done this year. Not sure what you are on about.

 

[Guttersniped]

It will be really interesting to see what the return is. A guy that was a third pairing cast off has a career year at 30 with a $1.15 million cap hit. Don't know if there's a precedent for this kind of rental.

He’s not a 3rd pairing defenseman and last season the Sabres infamously traded Marco Scandella for a 4th on Jan 2nd and the Habs flipped him to the Blues at the TDL for a 2nd AND a conditional 4th (which they got when he signed with St.Louis).

Scandella averaged 17:38 minutes in those 20 games with St Louis because he didn’t play special teams. That was 4th on Montreal for EV ice time.

Andy Greene was averaging 20:03 minutes, he wasn’t playing more then Kulikov is now, and he got a 2nd. Andy’s value was different, it certainly wasn’t his numbers, but he got a 2nd too.

Kulikov should cost a 2nd, he’s dirt cheap and he’s playing great, it’s not Savard is playing great and his cap hit is 4.25m.

 

[Guttersniped]