Player Discussion Brett Kulak: Top pairing candidate #6

[Hins77]

I like his game. Along the board he seem to win lot of battle. Maybe not the most skills player but he knows it, and he work with strenght and caracter.

 

[Scintillating10]

Looks like a steal. He can move the puck and skate. Could be another Petry. If he keeps developing

 

[Adam Michaels]

Looks like a steal. He can move the puck and skate. Could be another Petry. If he keeps developing

I wouldn't go that far. But Kulak's been a good addition to the roster. Initially, people weren't happy because it seemed like an AHL trade, and Habs had given up their most offensive defenseman in Taormina and Valiev, as we. Taormina's been having injury problems all year and Valiev hasn't exactly been great, either.

But now we know they gave two AHL players for a guy who can play in the NHL.

For me, a Kulak - Folin third pair wouldn't bother me at all.

 

[Vachon23]

I wouldn't go that far. But Kulak's been a good addition to the roster. Initially, people weren't happy because it seemed like an AHL trade, and Habs had given up their most offensive defenseman in Taormina and Valiev, as we. Taormina's been having injury problems all year and Valiev hasn't exactly been great, either.

But now we know they gave two AHL players for a guy who can play in the NHL.

For me, a Kulak - Folin third pair wouldn't bother me at all.

Yep, he’s not Petry and not a top 4 but on a 3rd pair he is fine and he probably put Rielly out of MTL

 

[Habs Halifax]

Kulak is a temporary solution for a long term problem. I hope he proves me wrong but I like him as a depth piece playing 3rd pairing vs playing in a top 4D role. However, this is his 1st full NHL season (or as close to it you get get) so maybe he is a late bloomer and we get another Byron value steal from the Flames.

Very much interested to see how much better he can get from where he is now. Julien likes him cause he plays physical in his own end and I get that.

 

[montreal]

I like him as our 7th D if we can improve the blueline a good bit.

 

[the]

Is he slowly becoming one of those Bergevin bargainbin special success stories?

 

[admiralcadillac]

He's deserved his ice time since he got here and he'll keep deserving it if he keeps playing well. Time will tell! He's young though which is cool.

 

[calder candidate]

He has some size, some speed, Some puck skills, decent in the D zone and he pretty aggressive offensively seem to play with lot of confidence. He is still young enough to keep improving. This was a great addition.

 

[Archijerej]

I liked him right from the start. Perfectly fine as a #5-6 defenceman.

 

[JianYang]

I like his game. Along the board he seem to win lot of battle. Maybe not the most skills player but he knows it, and he work with strenght and caracter.

I think with him, its no so much the skill. He's got a decent shot, a little bit of offense. I mean, he has 6 or 7 goals in an abbreviated season with the habs if yoh include that unfrotuate goal disallowed in Tampa.

He just makes weird decisions sometimes... Which limits him to a bottom pair.

 

[The Great Weal]

My biggest issue with him is that he's out of position way too much.

 

[Fazkovsky]

Good 7 D

 

[Habaneros]

I said this many times before...when we got Jeff Petry the first year...he doesn't look like the Jeff Petry today....

Kulak has shown me enough....
If he doesn't get too crazy with a contract demand, he should be back next year..and
like Petry did, he'll continue to improve IMHO....

He has given us $900,000 worth of good hockey this year for sure..been earned..career high points for him also ...52 games 14pt..not bad...only 153 Nhl games so far too....upside to come...

 

[Chr1s97]

Hes playing solid hockey lately. Calm with the puck, taking the right decision, doesn't force the play, skate well, jump in the offence when he have to & his confidence seem up top right hes trying to shoot more puck to the net. Like the pair with Petry.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

He's actually pretty darn good. He's somehow held the fort on the 2nd pair with Petry.

Great job from the scouts finding this guy. If he's on our third pairing next year we should be in good shape.

 

[scrubadam]

Maybe MB's second or 3rd best trade this year?

Really like Kulak and he has grown a lot as a hab this year. 6 goals and 17 points for the team, and he has only played 156 games. I think he is what Beauliu was supposed to be for us.

Good skater, can move the puck and has shown lately a bit of a shot. I don't know if he can follow Petry's progression but I see him kinda like a mini Petry. It took Petry over 300 NHL games to get into his groover and closer to 400 to start putting up points.

I think he is your prototypical new NHL D man.

 

[A55P2]

Maybe MB's second or 3rd best trade this year?

Really like Kulak and he has grown a lot as a hab this year. 6 goals and 17 points for the team, and he has only played 156 games. I think he is what Beauliu was supposed to be for us.

Good skater, can move the puck and has shown lately a bit of a shot. I don't know if he can follow Petry's progression but I see him kinda like a mini Petry. It took Petry over 300 NHL games to get into his groover and closer to 400 to start putting up points.

I think he is your prototypical new NHL D man.

He shows a lot in that direction indeed. Let's hope it continues!

 

[Fixxer]

I think Kulak was great early on, alongside Weber. Some time after, Mete went back with Weber and Kulak played with Petry (or maybe others in the process early on). He struggled for a while. Lately, he's back at being the reliable defenseman who might join the offense occasionally (not so often) but he's fully aware of his defensive assignments.

 

[ahmedou]

I like his game. Along the board he seem to win lot of battle. Maybe not the most skills player but he knows it, and he work with strenght and caracter.

Kulak knows by heart his limits. Doing much far than what he could isn't relevant for him.

 

[26Mats]

Maybe MB's second or 3rd best trade this year?

Really like Kulak and he has grown a lot as a hab this year. 6 goals and 17 points for the team, and he has only played 156 games. I think he is what Beauliu was supposed to be for us.

Good skater, can move the puck and has shown lately a bit of a shot. I don't know if he can follow Petry's progression but I see him kinda like a mini Petry. It took Petry over 300 NHL games to get into his groover and closer to 400 to start putting up points.

I think he is your prototypical new NHL D man.

ThePaciorettyand Galchenyuk trades look better...

 

[Habs4Life]

He's a keeper

 

[scrubadam]

ThePaciorettyand Galchenyuk trades look better...

thats why I said 3rd best.

Domi -1st
Max -2nd
Kulak -3rd

 

[26Mats]

thats why I said 3rd best.

Domi -1st
Max -2nd
Kulak -3rd

Didn't you say 2nd or 3rd best?

4th I think is Weal.
5th is Folin.

But Kulak, Weal, and Folin are looking like nice finds. They make us much better - they've stabilized their dpairings/lines, that were previously ineffective or erratic.

And then there's Thompson who had an excellent game playing with 2 offensive players in Byron and KK. I'm curious to see if he can repeat that.

 

[scrubadam]

I think Kulak was great early on, alongside Weber. Some time after, Mete went back with Weber and Kulak played with Petry (or maybe others in the process early on). He struggled for a while. Lately, he's back at being the reliable defenseman who might join the offense occasionally (not so often) but he's fully aware of his defensive assignments.

I find he joins the offense a lot. He has no problem playing with the puck in the Ozone and I see him go deep even to the goal line many times per game. He actually can handle the puck and move it pretty well. Lately we are seeing he has a bit of a shot too.

17 points and 6 goals in 55 games isn't to bad for a Dman. I think he has some more offense in his game. He has only played 156 NHL games, thats like a baby for Defensemen (regardless of age). Look at where Petry was 150 or so games into his career.

Not saying Kulak can become a 40 point D, but I think a full season he could get 25-30 points if he continues to progress.