Grabovski and Kulemin Sign with NYI
- Thread starter Bardown warrior
- Start date
AINEC*
AINEC
- Jul 4, 2011
- 7,332
- 2
I'm honestly hoping to see the same. Two of my favourite Leafs given horrible situations to play in, then let go for nothing when they didn't bring results.
I know a lot of Leafs fans are glad they're gone, but I'll be rooting for them. If Kulemin is given a more offensive role in NYI I think he'll have a great year. He has a fantastic shot when he's able to use it.
Suntouchable13
Registered User
They appeared in one playoff round for the Leafs, we should build a statue for them.
While I do think that Grabo is a good player and was misused by RC, Burke was way off his rocker when he overpaid for him. And Kulie, he is nothing special. I am not going to miss him.
This is Brilliant!!!!!!
Can't wait till both Nonis and Carlyle are fired!
Seeing Kuli happy makes me wonder if he was in Toronto, or just stoned all the time
Nonis did well not giving in and signing him at 4 mil a year. Kulemin got his shots off last year but unfortunately for him and the team most of them were right at the crest of the goalie..Kulemin hasn't done **** for 2-3 years now. He had that 1 break out year and people's expectations went nuts. He is what he is. He'll provide a hustle game with a defensive game along with 10-15 goals a year. Not 4 mil worth.
They were 2/3rds of a pretty solid line together. They're a tad-bit overpaid but they played well for Toronto. Good luck on the Island
Quares27
Registered User
- Apr 3, 2013
- 6,981
- 162
It's unreal that people can't let go of Kulemin... he had one good season and that's it. He is not that player. Does he even add more than someone like Komarov? if you gave Komarov 2nd/3rd line minutes i'm fairly sure that he'd put up more than the 20 points a season that Kulemin puts up, plus he'd be even more physical, draw more penalties and kill just as many.
The Grabovski buyout however was a Pejorative Slured move. We wasted a buyout we could have used on Liles and now we have dead cap space from Gleason because of it. We also wasted decent draft picks for Bolland who played like 15 uninjured games for us and then left. And we wasted the buyout money on Clarkson, who could put up 40 points for the next two seasons and be physical and still have an awful contract because we're stuck with him at 5.25 until he's 36.
It's funny because in a way they're like opposites. Kulemin has only had one good year and yet everyone acts like he's so great. On the other hand Grabovski only had one bad year and yet everyone acts like he sucks. I wish we still had Grabovski on this team, couldnt care less about Kulemin especially at the laughable 4.2m he got. Good luck to them but im not really bothered, but we all know if they score at even a decent rate because they're getting 2nd line minutes and PP time on a team with no depth whatsoever then we'll never hear the end of it
The Grabovski buyout however was a Pejorative Slured move. We wasted a buyout we could have used on Liles and now we have dead cap space from Gleason because of it. We also wasted decent draft picks for Bolland who played like 15 uninjured games for us and then left. And we wasted the buyout money on Clarkson, who could put up 40 points for the next two seasons and be physical and still have an awful contract because we're stuck with him at 5.25 until he's 36.
It's funny because in a way they're like opposites. Kulemin has only had one good year and yet everyone acts like he's so great. On the other hand Grabovski only had one bad year and yet everyone acts like he sucks. I wish we still had Grabovski on this team, couldnt care less about Kulemin especially at the laughable 4.2m he got. Good luck to them but im not really bothered, but we all know if they score at even a decent rate because they're getting 2nd line minutes and PP time on a team with no depth whatsoever then we'll never hear the end of it
LeafsNation149
Registered User
- Feb 4, 2013
- 7,354
- 1,194
Lol I understand the hate for Carlyle but why Nonis? He didn't do anything to them other than buying out an overpaid contract and not paying 4.2 mil to resign someone that was paying 3rd line...
It's too funny watching the same posters who constantly criticize this team for being a bad team now crying over a couple of useless players who weren't going to get this team any closer to a Stanley Cup push. The same posters who constantly remind everyone to love the jersey, not the player wearing it. Good luck to them in NY but really, who gives a crap. They're gone. SEE YA!!!!
The guys who are always saying that Grabovski (and CMac) sucks are the same guys who were posting crap like this a year ago and telling us what a genius Randy Carlyle was. Excuse us if we don't take you seriously.
Last edited:
Nonis paid Clarkson 5.25mil based on one good season and inflated corsi stats brought on playing on a top line that fed him pucks. Kulemin for 4.2mil would have been a better complement on the 2nd line with kadri due to his impressive two-way game, size, and puck protection. What Kulemin stats do not suggest is that he had heavy defensive duties, If he had stable 2nd line minutes with Kadri and Lupul with fewer defensive assignments on the pk, he would have easily gotten 40 points.
SprDaVE
Moderator
- Sep 20, 2008
- 52,200
- 33,590
A little funny you make excuses for Kulemin but Clarkson gets beat down.
Kulemin had one good season himself with plenty of opportunities to get back to his one good season. He crapped the bed every time.
He's a good player, heck I'd take him over Clarkson for the salaries, but let's not pretend like he wasn't given plenty of chances to get back to his former self. He was a black hole offensively and was very lucky to have achieved a 30 goal season.
thewave
Registered User
- Jun 17, 2011
- 40,317
- 10,197
Something went wrong with him after that plane crash. I noticed he was doing much better when on the 2nd line last season though. It's Unfortunate circumstances but the 4.2m is indeed better than 5.2 for Clarkson, that being said I would want 3m x1 to see if he continues to improve(which would never happen as far as a 1yr contract goes).
It is pretty easy to defend him. Let's look at the stats.
Since Carlyle took the reins, he was not given opportunities. He had 34.9% in offensive starts and 46.9% in defensive starts. This would indicate his intensive defensive responsibilities, No one is expecting him to be a 30 goal sniper. He got 23 points in 48 games in a shortened season (which can prorate to 37-40 points in a full season) where he had 35.5% in offensive starts and 44.3% in defensive starts. In the shortened season, he had the 3rd highest corsi stats in both rel qoc and normal qoc. Last season, Kulemin had 3rd highest qoc corsi and 6th highest qoc relative corsi.
Pk: JAY MCCLEMENT NIKOLAI KULEMIN DION PHANEUF CARL GUNNARSSON 14.6% - Taken from leftwing lock
Oh hey, he's on the first pk unit.
tl;dr?: Kulemin had tough defensive assignments and if his minutes consist of mostly PK and 3rd-line, he will not have desirable minutes in the attacking zone.
When he was on the line with Kadri and Lupul, he looked decent. He definitely was not a black hole on that line. He can skate, protect the puck, and unlike Clarkson, can stand on his skates without falling over. That, with his defensive acumen would have complemented the 2nd line more. I think he is capable of hitting 40 points. He obviously needs more minutes on the pp and fewer defensive assignments to accomplish that.
I beat Clarkson down because he is not worth 5.25mil and I rather have the guy who complements the 2nd line. Clarkson would need to net 40-45 points to justify that cap hit and it is not likely he does. For 5.25mil, a smart GM should be able to find a guy that can yield 37-40 points with an above-average defensive game on the 2nd line. 5.25mil allocated for an offensive 2nd line player when the team already has one is not prudent - We have Lupul for that. Also, by signing Clarkson to that contract, it ties up money that could have been spent on Kulemin or used to keep Grabovski who is good at faceoffs and the PK.
Semantics
PUBLIC ENEMY #1
Kulemin actually has NHL talent. You can argue about whether he's a 3rd liner vs a 2nd liner, but regardless, he can contribute. Clarkson on the other hand belongs in the AHL. He is barely a better hockey player than Colton Orr. Kulemin has never even been close to that bad.
Pyrophorus
Registered User
I liked them both, Grabo a bit more so.
It will be interesting to see if a team really can win with both of them or not.
Will the NYI make a play for CMac next off-season?
It will be interesting to see if a team really can win with both of them or not.
Will the NYI make a play for CMac next off-season?
I liked Kulemin but not at his current price tag, letting him go was a no brainer. Grabovski on the other hand represents a completely wasted asset and talent by both coaching and management. Losing him was bad enough, losing him for nothing made it worse, burning a valuable amnesty in the process made it a complete disaster.
HoweHullOrr
Registered User
- Oct 3, 2013
- 11,619
- 2,227
Islanders have been an enigma team for some time. No doubt its largely due to ownership.
Having said this, I'm curious to see what they do this year. They been getting high draft picks ostensibly forever. Will they eventually start putting it together and have a competitive/successful team - who knows?
I was never a big Kulemin guy for sure. I thought as usual this guy was overhyped by the fanbase. Same guys saying he was a chump were calling him Bob Gainey a couple of years ago. Thats how it goes in Leafs Nation.
But to compare him to David Clarkson is an absolute joke. That's the kind of talent/skill evaluation that would be done by the likes of Brian Burke and his disciples.
Absolutely clueless.
RedRenegade
Registered User
- Sep 16, 2008
- 873
- 13
I'm pretty sure Kulemin was the longest tenured Leaf on the team and hasn't played a game in the new uniform yet. What's the big deal?
Same. Is MacArthur still a free agent? If he is, that would be interesting to see.
