Speculation: Your evaluation of Nikolai Kulemin after 10 games

[Rielly Good]

I love Kulemin. with his speed, and his shot, the coaching staff really need to work on his positioning. On 2-1 and 3-1, and rushes, he doesnt really find open ice very well.

 

[Hanta Yo]

His hustle is second to none on this team. Always defensively responsible. At worst, he'll end up as a great 3rd liner on this team.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

He gets rid of the puck too quickly. Its like its a hot potatoe and he doesnt wanna touch it. If he just thought about what is best play he wouldnt miss so many opportunities.

this is true, she's scared ****less

 

[Vintage Leaf Memories]

I loved Kulemin his first three years here. Very positive career arc at that point. I don't see his current contributions quite as strongly as some here. Would like to see him be a more consistently physical presence. He works "hard", but that should be a minimum expectation for the type of player he is.

 

[glasses91]

loving the positive comments!

kules one of my favs..I think we should have acquired semin as a gift for him!

thats a dirty first line...

 

[TheProspector]

Kolya has already surpassed my expectations. He has the heart of a lion.

He definitely doesn't have the kind of confidence and swagger that he shared with his other linemates 2 seasons ago, but that is still lurking under the surface, too.

 

[Wendelstache]

let see, he plays against the other team's top line and is top 3 in points.

trade him to pittsburg.

 

[Pyrophorus]

How would he do, if the KBK line was reunited?

 

[HellasLEAF]

ya 20 goals, 25 would be great. around 100 hits and good two way play. he is what he is. On a great team he is a 3rd line winger, but a very good and valuable one.

 

[BayStBully]

One of this team's glaring weaknesses is defensively responsible big physical forwards and so many of you want to trade our best one?

 

[Wendelstache]

If he goes and play with Malkin, we can pen him in for 30g+ every year while playing lights out D.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

As much as I believe Kulemin is the player that makes the #2 line go, Carter Ashton is starting to assert himself in the AHL. Develop/Promote, if he continues his progress, Kulemin may be expendable if a team wants him enough. Joe Morrow is a very good prospect that is knocking on the door, he's a piece I would love to add to our team.

 

[daveleaf]

I think he is playing great, his skating is top notch right now. I would say he keeps working the way he is 15-17 goals would not be much to far out of reach. Great player that if he was gone everyone would notice the drop in play.

 

[TheSilencer]

He's been fine. Better than last year for sure. He's creating more chances and playing more physical.

 

[calcal798]

As much as I believe Kulemin is the player that makes the #2 line go, Carter Ashton is starting to assert himself in the AHL. Develop/Promote, if he continues his progress, Kulemin may be expendable if a team wants him enough. Joe Morrow is a very good prospect that is knocking on the door, he's a piece I would love to add to our team.

Couldn't agree more. Adding Joe Morrow to our depth at the expense of Kuli would be a pretty solid deal.

Imagine:

Rielly
Morrow
Finn
Blacker
Percy
Granberg
Nilsson

Imagine the assets we will have as those guys start to become NHL ready, wow.

 

[Pierre Gotye]

He is still not the same player he was prior to the Gleason rough-up. Not as gutsy, a little bit more scared, and not as confident.

That doesn't mean he's ineffective, but I have doubts if we'll ever see a 30 goal season again from him. Seems to be a 20/25 guy to me, which is kind of what you want from a 2nd liner.

 

[DIrwin]

Does anybody remember how lights out kessel-bozie-kulie were together? I might be remembering it wrong but was it the first year we had Kessel prior to lupes that those 3 played together?

That line was dynamite I'd really love to see it again just to shake things up with our current injuries. Something like this:

kessel-bozie-kulemin
JVR-Grabo-McClement
Frattin-Kadri-Komorov

 

[Ruski]

Briefly liked him 2 years ago, but has sucked since than.
Saying he's responsible and good defensively now is a joke.
He has lost all urgency and physicality. He floats. Him and grabs are the biggest floaters on the team for me. Watch how many times they skate by the puck on goals against or when we're hemmed in our zone.

I wouldn't hesitate or regret getting rid of him, he's lost his edge.

Don't know what game you watchin bud. Grabo and Kuli hustle up and down the ice quite a bit. Easily in the Top 4 best two-way forwards we have.

A floater you say? Have you seen Kessel?

P.S. I got no issues with Kessel right now, he will break out of his slump but he is hardly defensively responsible.

 

[hobarth]

Couldn't agree more. Adding Joe Morrow to our depth at the expense of Kuli would be a pretty solid deal.

Imagine:

Rielly
Morrow
Finn
Blacker
Percy
Granberg
Nilsson

Imagine the assets we will have as those guys start to become NHL ready, wow.

Allowing your imagination run wild is probably a good thing but at the same time until these players are actually on the Leafs and being productive they are just names to me.

Players that score 7 goals in a year and by virtue of their play are showing that the 7 goals was no fluke should not be playing 2nd line minutes, my God Steckle scored more than Kule did last year.

I think we're in for another disappointing year from Kule unless RC starts to rag on him about his play with and without the puck in the offensive zone, much like RC did with JVR.

Since Kule is prone to being unproductive in the offensive zone maybe reassignment to defense might be more suitable for his future.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

He's been excellent. Love him man. Glad he is back in form.

 

[paulster2626]

He's a mouth-breather. I hate mouth-breathers.

 

[Al14]

Will Kulemin be part of a trade package to get us a number one centre?

Just wondering out loud.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Couldn't agree more. Adding Joe Morrow to our depth at the expense of Kuli would be a pretty solid deal.

Imagine:

Rielly
Morrow
Finn
Blacker
Percy
Granberg
Nilsson

Imagine the assets we will have as those guys start to become NHL ready, wow.

Pouliot, Harrington, Maata, would make me think, and Shero would have to add to the deal if he wanted Kulemin badly enough, especially for Maata. But Morrow I would do straight up.

I would even pencil him in with Rielly next year if they earn a job in the NHL at camp. He's the perfect partner for Rielly IMO. Yep, we are in 100% agreement here.

 

[hobarth]

Pouliot, Harrington, Maata, would make me think, and Shero would have to add to the deal if he wanted Kulemin badly enough, especially for Maata. But Morrow I would do straight up.

I would even pencil him in with Rielly next year if they earn a job in the NHL at camp. He's the perfect partner for Rielly IMO. Yep, we are in 100% agreement here.

And to think that TO made a trade to move up in the draft and then chose Biggs when Morrow was still available. Didn't make sense to me then and still doesn't now.

 

[Faltorvo]

On pace for 50 points in a defensive first system.

Solid board work, heavy on the puck, drives the net and his defensive ability is second to none on the team.

Shows heart and hustle, he's a beauty.

Seems like NK is right on track with RC.