Player Discussion Brett Kulak: Top pairing candidate #6

scrubadam

Registered User
Apr 10, 2016
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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.

3rd best. Domi and Tatar deals were clearly big home runs, but Kulak was a nice triple.

Weal and Folin have been good, but I think Kulak has the most potential out of all 3. I don't see him as a 50 point norris contender, but a Petry lite is in the cards. Only 156 NHL games there is still room to grow for his NHL game.

I think Weber/Mete/Petry/Kulak can be a solid top 4 if Mete and Kulak can continue to grow their games.

I like Thompson and think he has done what he was brought here to do. Won't fall in love with him because he is a journeyman 4th liner, but he wins F/O's, brings strong work ethic, has put up some decent points for a 4th line guy, and is solid veteran prescence.

TBH MB's moves at TDL all have worked out, just hope the habs can make the playoffs so they look even better.
 

26Mats

Registered User
Jun 23, 2018
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3rd best. Domi and Tatar deals were clearly big home runs, but Kulak was a nice triple.

Weal and Folin have been good, but I think Kulak has the most potential out of all 3. I don't see him as a 50 point norris contender, but a Petry lite is in the cards. Only 156 NHL games there is still room to grow for his NHL game.

I think Weber/Mete/Petry/Kulak can be a solid top 4 if Mete and Kulak can continue to grow their games.

I like Thompson and think he has done what he was brought here to do. Won't fall in love with him because he is a journeyman 4th liner, but he wins F/O's, brings strong work ethic, has put up some decent points for a 4th line guy, and is solid veteran prescence.

TBH MB's moves at TDL all have worked out, just hope the habs can make the playoffs so they look even better.

Making the playoffs will also help us attract UFA's imo. Players like Duchene want to play for a winner.
 

ahmedou

DOU
Oct 7, 2017
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“I met with Clode and Berg and yeah it was good... Not really, they just loved the attitude, I tried to do my best and working on my game everyday. Whether it's off the ice, in the gym, extra works after practices or on the ice too things like that. They acknowledged and they said keep up that stuff because slowly you'll become better on working on little things on yourself all the time. They loved that part about me. Others guys started to doing that. But as far as positioning and places on the team we didn't talk whole about that...”

“Yeah I hope so, that's my goal. I loved here, fans and the guys are awesome. It's a great place to play. It's a great hockey town. So my goal is hopefully things go good, get the contract, get back here and having a big summer. Gotta prove myself and come back ready to go...”

“You know the goal for everyone was obviously we wished that we've a Game One (PO) tomorrow. But you got to look ahead on almost now and just coming next year ready to go.”

“For me, getting some strengh. Become stronger. In the last few summers, when I took a huge step on that area but slow progressions every summer. So, hopefully this summer you know work hard again,get a lot stronger and keeping it better.”

“I kinda kept the goal in my head. That's something I work toward every day and I thought it was good for me. Because last year I averaged maybe 12 mins per game. It's very hard a D man to doing that. And to start in Laval, I was playing like 25 mins per game there. I was playing on the PK, PP, 5 on 5, everything... So I thought that's was really good for my game and when they brought me up it was kinda a transition. I obviously I had rough paths during the season, some games I didn't like... But, that's just hockey as it's. Stuffs like that gonna happen, but for the most past yeah it was a lot of positives to take from it. I'm happy with how I grew as a player.”
 

yianik

Registered User
Jun 30, 2009
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His contract demands should not be excessive. He sees a spot for himself here and that is most important, that he gets to play in the NHL since that could build into a career. So for right now he should hope for a two year contract at about $1.25M a season.
 

ahmedou

DOU
Oct 7, 2017
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His contract demands should not be excessive. He sees a spot for himself here and that is most important, that he gets to play in the NHL since that could build into a career. So for right now he should hope for a two year contract at about $1.25M a season.
Without a two way contract?
 

Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
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Texas
His contract demands should not be excessive. He sees a spot for himself here and that is most important, that he gets to play in the NHL since that could build into a career. So for right now he should hope for a two year contract at about $1.25M a season.
He deserves more than Mathew Peca got don’t you think?
 

ahmedou

DOU
Oct 7, 2017
19,244
18,632
I like Kulak, but if he's asking for 3M (even as an opening bargaining position - he's RFA), he can GTFO.
No way, Kulak shall ask that amount. And he won't. A lil bit a augmentation compared to his actual salary. But not an abusive one.
 

Rapala

Registered User
Mar 29, 2013
39,459
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Montreal
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.

The problem being MB may think they are more than that. Once they get entrenched they may be hard to move as placeholders.
 

1909

Registered User
Jul 6, 2016
20,712
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Kulak ain't a top pairing #6 candidate imho...

What does it take to be in your top six ? Kulak is perfectly part of the top-six d-corp. Look at the other teams. Their bottom pairings are not better than what Habs as #5 and #6 d-men.

Once, they (CJ) finally settled with the same 6 d-men and get got them accustomed to play together, they were not a bad d-corp at all in the last quarter of the season.
 
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ahmedou

DOU
Oct 7, 2017
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What does it take to be in your top six ? Kulak is perfectly part of the top-six d-corp. Look at the other teams. Their bottom pairings are not better than what Habs as #5 and #6 d-men.

Once, they (CJ) finally settled with the same 6 d-men and get got them accustomed to play together, they were not a bad d-corp at all in the last quarter of the season.
Top 6 scratch tho.
 
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BargainBinSpecial

Registered User
Jul 2, 2018
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The acquisition of Kulak was MB's third best move this year after Tatar and Domi. The thing about Kulak is that he is not a top pairing D but is a very solid bottom D. After MB let Radulov and Markov walk losing also 3 other LD in the process, the Habs are a constant work in progress. This season, he brought in many different players to try to salvage the season because the lineup in the beginning of the season had everyone wondering. He did great but I just don't see Kulak being anything more than a very solid bottom D. The Habs truly need a top 4 LD. Next season, the Habs will have something solid on D if they manage to get help on the left side.

Weber XXX
Petry Kulak
Juulsen Mete
Folin

Hopefully, the Benn Reilly experience has come to an end. Obviously, if the Habs manage to land Karlsson in process, that would be a blessing. The Habs also have solid prospects on D with Fleury, Brook, Tyszka and Romanov coming up.
 

Tyson

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
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Texas
He progressed nicely down the stretch and played some big minutes-
2 questions

Can he continue developing into a legitimate top 4 Dman?

What kind of contract does he receive this off season?
 

DramaticGloveSave

Voice of Reason
Apr 17, 2017
14,647
13,363
He progressed nicely down the stretch and played some big minutes-
2 questions

Can he continue developing into a legitimate top 4 Dman?

What kind of contract does he receive this off season?
I think Kulak showed he can be a 4 or 5. Definitely expect him to be signed for at least a couple of years. Not sure what is taking so long.
 

montreal

Go Habs Go
Mar 21, 2002
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He progressed nicely down the stretch and played some big minutes-
2 questions

Can he continue developing into a legitimate top 4 Dman?

What kind of contract does he receive this off season?

the question should be can he be a top 4 on a contending team, and I wouldn't think so but I didn't watch a number of games this year. He was solid in Laval, which I would expect since he's been more of a bottom pairing D in the NHL.
 

Habs Halifax

Loyal Habs Fan
Jul 11, 2016
68,455
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East Coast
So the same team as last season? Yeah, not happening...

I've already said that I think Suzuki can make this team next season and I stand by that.

Bergevin better ****ing upgrade that defense too.

We already have our potential top 4LD... his name is Kulak. The 30 game sample size playing with Petry at the end of the year was very good production. We need a goal scoring LW... Skinner
 

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