Nikolai Kulemin

[Silentstorm]

I\'m just curious about Nikolai Kulemin. I\'ve heard GREAT things about him in Russia. It sounds like he\'ll be in Russia for one more season before possibly going over to the leafs.

What kind of Impact can he have on Toronto in 2008/2009? What is his career upside?

[Dobber]

I\'d say 65 or 70 is his upside, but he\'ll have a couple of 45-point seasons before he gets there.
I also think he could be here next year. Small chance.

[Thieving Giraffe]

Kulemin will never be a top-line scorer, but he\'s a hard working two-way player with a sturdy frame much more filled out than that of most players his age. He does great work along the boards and (with Robbie Earl slightly ahead of him on TOR\'s LW pipeline) projects as a very solid third-line contributor.

That being said, with 27 goals in 54 games in the RSL this season, he may yet surprise everyone and turn into a second-line scoring winger. I\'d actually project his upside slightly higher at 75-80, but with a lesser probability of acheiving it. I would not be surprised to see him turning in 35-35-70 a season four or five years down the road.

[mrbugg]

He was absolutely incredible down the stretch in the RSL. Just a force. Overnight, he seems to have corrected that wobbly skating thing he had going on. It robbed a lot of power from his stride, and with that gone, he\'s gained another gear- not that he was slow before. His favorite move is to drive wide, then cut in and roof a shot. He\'s scored a few Crosby-esque goals this year- from the knees, bad angles, etc. He\'s brimming with confidence and is doing things I never expected to see him do.