Speculation: Nikolai Kulemin to Test Free Agency?

[soulie]

I liked Kulemin and think highly of him. However, from a team construction point of view Kulemin is expendable and I would like to thank him for his service and send him on his merry way. $3million is too much money for a bottom 6 forward, which is what his role is. I'd rather his roster spot be made available to the likes of D'Amigo who would cost less and has demonstrated more hunger.

 

[Orfieus]

Just read an article that says Grabo and Kuli want to Play together again which Means Kuli is gone.

found it: http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014...ovski-could-be-a-package-deal-in-free-agency/

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I would love to have Chris Stewart as his replacement

 

[thewave]

Good bye Kuli.

I hope you find emotion some day.

It would never be here, look at the coaches. We have had two pretty rotten coaches and that's both observation and statistically backed.

At one point in time KGM were all worth a first rounder each+ now we are or have given them all away.

Possibly the worst asset management over a year of all times by a GM. This is right up there with McPhee

 

[Raym11]

i actually agree with his agent completely and have felt the same way the last 2 seasons


He's my favourite Leaf and if he leaves i don't blame him. What the coaching staff has done with him the last couple years is.... suspect. He's clearly one of the top defensive forwards on the team but to remove him from any offensive role entirely (the guy never gets a chance at 1st unit PP either, which was warranted this year as JvR and Kessel are superior) when he boasts such a great shot is just a shame.


He's gonna leave T.O and put up 20-25 goals somewhere else where he gets opportunities

 

[The Apologist]

They were only that because Carlyle is a god damn moron, simply put.

Also, even the thought of Bolland and Clarkson being better than Mac and Grabo should have been shot down immediately

Which is a better top 9:

Team A: JvR-Bozak-Kessel/Lupul-Kadri-Raymond/MacA-Grabo-Kulemin

Team B: JvR-Bozak-Kessel/Lupul-Kadri-Raymond/Kulemin-Bolland-Clarkson

Before last season almost guaranteed 90% of Leaf nation takes team b. after the trades and signings it would obviously be team A.

 

[Al14]

I would love to have Chris Stewart as his replacement

 

[Al14]

It would never be here, look at the coaches. We have had two pretty rotten coaches and that's both observation and statistically backed.

At one point in time KGM were all worth a first rounder each+ now we are or have given them all away.

Possibly the worst asset management over a year of all times by a GM. This is right up there with McPhee

But, but, McPhee is an EXCELLENT GM.

at that suggestion in another thread!!!

 

[pacdunes]

Kulemin is one of the problems with this team. Glad he's going, for all the praise he gets for his defensive play, he handles the puck like a grenade and was a contributor to the poor corsi this team had. Bye-bye.

Look at all the playoff teams right now. You need a ton of grit and hate on for the opposition. Kulemin always looked like he wouldn't hit a fly, except for the coaches constantly on him to finish the check hard.

 

[eddieO]

Kulemin ‘not happy with his role’ in Toronto, says agent

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/25/kulemin-not-happy-with-his-role-in-toronto-says-agent/

“I believe he can get 20 to 22 goals, but he needs to have different role,” Kulemin’s agent, Gary Greenstin, told the National Post. “You just put him on penalty killing. Not even a chance to play power play.

“Of course he’s not happy with his role. I’m not happy.”

Greenstin’s comments carry additional weight considering he also reps Mikhail Grabovski, the ex-Leaf that was bought out last summer before blasting his role under head coach Randy Carlyle.

Looks like the nail in the coffin.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Agent's gonna agent

 

[TOG26]

Who would be? A 30 goal scorer gets paid more then a grinder.

 

[Grant]

If Clarkson got more ice time than me I would be upset too.

 

[Prominence]

The Clarkson signing is a gift that keeps on giving....

 

[TootooTrain]

Welcome to last week. Old news.

His agent is just trying to scratch and claw for more money.

What player in the NHL wishes they would get more PP time? It needs to be earned.

 

[Rude Dog]

Good.

 

[LeafsNation149]

Much rather have him on it than Raymond or Clarkson

 

[Prominence]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats....osition=S&country=&status=&viewName=timeOnIce

Unless I read these stats wrong:

Kulemin:
2010-11: 13 pp points in 200 mins.
2011-12: 5 pp points in 60 mins of pp time
2012-13: 0 pp points in 20 mins of pp time
2013-14: 0 pp points in 5 mins of pp time.

Clarkson
2010-11: 2 pp points in 136 mins.
2011-12: 16 pp points in 244 mins of pp time
2012-13: 9 pp points in 170 mins of pp time
2013-14: 2 pp points in 64 mins of pp time

Kulemin has been seeing less time on the pp and has not been given the opportunity to redeem himself. I think he'd be better on the 2nd pp line because he is stronger at protecting the puck and perhaps preventing shorthanded goals. He also has a strong cerebral game. However, it makes sense to have clarkson there instead since you can park him in front of the net and Clarkson is supposedly a cycle player, which I have yet to see. Clarkson has horrible balance on his skates and as Kadri needs a complementary player with that attribute in order to complete that second line. Kulemin is built like a truck (not a power forward but still quite strong) so I think he can easily develop chemistry on the 2nd pp unit. I would like stats to see how effective Kulemin has been on a line with Kadri.
If you look at the underlined phrases, I would even argue that Kulemin has outproduced Clarkson. I am sure that had Kulemin had triple the minutes he would match or surpass Clarkson's output.

tl;dr: Kulemin has relatively similar production as Clarkson if he is given the time. Kulemin has experienced little time on the pp. I would argue Kulemin should earn time on pp due to his defensive contributions and that his style is complementary to Kadri's.

note: I have an obvious bias against Clarkson.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

He's been utilized in a defensive role, no question, but he shouldn't need notable powerplay time to score more than ten bloody goals with that skillset. Even when he scored 30 goals, 24 of them came at even strength. He's a solid worker and all, but he doesn't bring it often enough to warrant a raise.

You can get guys to do what Kulemin does for less than $2.8M/year, let alone $3M+.

 

[Purity*]

I would rather have Kulemin on Clarkson's contract than Clarkson.. It would be a bad contract either or but still..

 

[TheCLAM]

Let the one move wonder be miserable and sign a new contract with another team

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

Unlucky number sleven can **** right off and get out of town if he doesn't like his role

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Let the one move wonder be miserable and sign a new contract with another team

If he and Grabovski plan to sign for the same team I can see him bounce back if they both end up on a team who play them on the 2nd line with 2nd PP minutes. Good luck to him, always liked him.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

He's gonna leave T.O and put up 20-25 goals somewhere else where he gets opportunities

Per season ?
Or over the rest of his career ?
for 2 mil in Edmonton ?

I don't mind Kuli.
Especially as the Leafs "have bigger fish to fry".

3+ is too expensive.
He will play better elsewhere.
And he likely is playing elsewhere.

 

[ShaneFalco]

He's been utilized in a defensive role, no question, but he shouldn't need notable powerplay time to score more than ten bloody goals with that skillset. Even when he scored 30 goals, 24 of them came at even strength. He's a solid worker and all, but he doesn't bring it often enough to warrant a raise.

You can get guys to do what Kulemin does for less than $2.8M/year, let alone $3M+.

So true!
And he's had a good look on the 2nd line too where he produced next to nothing.