News Article: shopping right winger Nikolai Kulemin could resolve the situation.

[Drew75]

It's a waste of an asset.

SJ last season, a better team than us with a better chance of actually competing for something in the playoffs, traded away Murray/Clowe at the deadline.

I think it makes sense for contenders to risk losing guys for nothing. But bubble playoff teams? I think it's better to get value when you can. Had we moved Grabo at the 2012 trade deadline and MacArthur at the same time or sometime in the past 12 months... our prospect pool would be a fair bit stronger than it is today, and our NHL roster would be the exact same (actually, we could have used that amnesty on Liles, so we'd actually have less cap problems).

In saying that, I would move Franson before moving Kulemin. I think Franson will spend a year on the second pairing, and then get pushed out of the top 4 by our prospects coming up.

So all you need is a crystal ball.

A lot of Free Agents sign their contracts between the end of the season and July 1st - so if you need a guy for the playoffs, and have a chance to sign him at the end of the year, do you sacrifice potential playoff success to get an extra draft pick? The answer is no.

While some here will use their 20/20 hindsight goggles to rip Nonis for losing a guy like Kuli in Free Agency and not getting something at the deadline - the fact is that if we make the playoffs, having Kuli in the lineup for those games is of way greater value than anything we would get for him at the deadline.

SJ traded Clowe because he was not going to be a heavy contributor in the playoffs - they had young guys stepping up and replacing what he brought. Unless Biggs / Ross / Ashton has an awesome year and can bring what Kuli does - count on it, he will be here for the whole year, contract extension or not.

 

[rumman]

Package + to the Pen's for Sutter.

 

[ULF_55]

Package + to the Pen's for Sutter.

Franson and D'Amigo?

 

[Patience]

I wouldn't want to do it but it would hardly be a grave mistake. Kulemin is strong in the corners and an honest hard worker but he isn't a terrific defensive player just a competent one. This is probably Kulemin's last season in Toronto and also probably the NHL. It wouldn't be the end of the world if the Leafs inserted one of their young big bodies in Kulemin's place while the team has an excellent defensive center like Bolland with the team to mentor the young player on a checking line.

 

[cyris]

I wouldn't want to do it but it would hardly be a grave mistake. Kulemin is strong in the corners and an honest hard worker but he isn't a terrific defensive player just a competent one. This is probably Kulemin's last season in Toronto and also probably the NHL. It wouldn't be the end of the world if the Leafs inserted one of their young big bodies in Kulemin's place while the team has an excellent defensive center like Bolland with the team to mentor the young player on a checking line.

What indication has Kule ever given that he wants to leave the NHL?

 

[EdBelfour20]

Adding my voice to the chorus here, Keep N. Kulemin. He is an awesome 2 way player and defines our 3rd line imo, and will be a very nice player working with Bolland I reckon.

 

[rumman]

Franson and D'Amigo?

Kulemin/Liles/and 1 of Ashton/Biggs/Broll. Leafs get a prototypical Carlyle centre in Sutter, Pen's get Malkin's BBF, a good albeit overpaid puck moving defenseman, and a forward prospect with size/skill.