PHILADELPHIA - Nikolai Kulemin and Igor Korolev would meet last winter in Toronto every one or two weeks for dinner.
It wasn’t unusual for Kulemin to talk to Korolev after Maple Leafs games to get some advice from his close friend.
Kulemin acknowledged on Wednesday that it is with a heavy heart that he is participating in Leafs training camp, just two weeks after Korolev died in the Locomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash.
Kulemin and teammate Mikhail Grabovski were among the mourners Sunday at Korolev’s funeral in Toronto.
“It’s bad when you lose a friend, especially one of my best friends,” Kulemin said. “I feel (just) okay. You have to go on.
That may have impacted his early season, leading to lack of confidence, and both Grabovski and MacArthur struggling compounding that.
As noted Korolev was also providing advice, kind of a coaching role.
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Woodlief
using his big frame to create space and his skating ability to find open lanes to drive the net. He stands 6-3 and is a natural goal scorer with plenty of confidence.
He's a scout's dream in the way he prepares himself and plays an unselfish game, making smart decisions with the puck. With his bloodlines, he certainly understands what it will take to make it at the next level.
That may have impacted his early season, leading to lack of confidence, and both Grabovski and MacArthur struggling compounding that.
As noted Korolev was also providing advice, kind of a coaching role.
But if Kulemin can't play hockey without Korolev guiding him, than he'll never again be the player he was last season. Because Korolev is dead, and he'll never be alive again.
If Kulemin loses confidence for an entire year whenever he gets "sad", then he's a liability. Many many many more "sad" things will happen to him throughout his career (and every other players careers), and if he's too weak willed to overcome it, than maybe he's not fit for the big leagues.
But if Kulemin can't play hockey without Korolev guiding him, than he'll never again be the player he was last season. Because Korolev is dead, and he'll never be alive again.
If Kulemin loses confidence for an entire year whenever he gets "sad", then he's a liability. Many many many more "sad" things will happen to him throughout his career (and every other players careers), and if he's too weak willed to overcome it, than maybe he's not fit for the big leagues.
Perhaps.
If you believe life is completely without any relationship and every action is independent of every other action then your argument is solid. If there is any relationship from any other action your position crumbles.
If Kulemin is going to essentially take an entire year off of his multi million dollar job every time he gets "sad", then he's a flat out liability.
Take an entire year off???? Have you been watching? He hasn't been scoring, but other than that he's more or less the same kid. Even when his performance hasn't been great, you can't deny he's still putting it all in every night. I'll take a snake-bitten kid who busts his balls every night over a 25 goal scorer who couldn't give a damn. What more can you ask of the guy?
And given that this team's problem is with pucks in their own net, he remains one of the most valuable players on the team IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Disgruntled Observer
Sure, everything I said here would get me booed off the stage on "Oprah", but I think that`s a good thing.
Don't flatter yourself. You're getting booed here because your logic sucks, not because you're MR STRAIGHT TALK just telling it like it is.
As much as I dislike the excuse of the plane crash, it does make sense - but not 100%.
It's basically a domino effect, he's not affected as much by it anymore because he's had time to grieve but that statement is not true for the beginning of the season - then the dominoes start. Depressed at beginning of the season led to lack of confidence which led to not scoring goals which led to even LESS confidence. He didn't just hit rock bottom in confidence levels, he was well below it. Working all of that back is going to take more than grieving over the plane crash. He'll have the summer off then next year, he'll be back onto his beastly ways.
If Kulemin loses confidence for an entire year whenever he gets "sad", then he's a liability. Many many many more "sad" things will happen to him throughout his career (and every other players careers), and if he's too weak willed to overcome it, than maybe he's not fit for the big leagues.
Every time he gets "sad"?
You talk like losing your countryman and mentor in an epic tragedy happens every six months to someone.
You might do your logic and reasoning a favour by distinguishing between "sad" and "extremely traumatic personal tragedy". For me, and many others I suspect, its a pretty significant difference.
If this is still a valid excuse this far down the road... then we might as well say that some acquaintances dying on a plane ruined his entire career.
I`m sure there`s been hell of a lot of players in the nhl that had ``sad`` things happen to them this year. Deaths in the family, breakups, divorces, family illnesses, etc.
These types of things may affect performances for a few weeks... at best. Im just a regular working joe... and a death of a FAMILY member wouldnt be an acceptable excuse 8 months down the road at my place of employement... let alone someone making millions of dollars a year... who lost mere ACQUAINTANCES on a plane.
WOW - that takes the 'class' out of this place! Talk about hard and heartless!
Firstly - they were not mere "acquaintances' - as one poster pointed out, he lost his father figure.
Secondly - an 'off' year like he's having is usually related to multiple factors. It starts with the accident, then he's playing poorly, so he starts gripping the stick too hard, trying to do too much ... then frustration sets in, the confidence is completely lost - and things that would have come easily before just aren't working for him. It's like quick sand - the harder you fight to break it, the worse it becomes. Usually the best solution is a summer off and come back next year with a clean slate.
Thirdly - I have lost a close family member - and it emotionally impacted my family for years. I know if seriously effected my mom's job, as she dealt with people a lot, and lost a lot of the emotional tollerance required. In a game like pro hockey which is largely mental - I can see losing his father figure as a huge blow - as Koralev is the guy Kulemin would sought out to deal with a rough slump in the first place.
Give him time - he'll be fine. He's still one of our best defensive forwards - and will be a beast on this team for years to come!
If Kulemin is going to essentially take an entire year off of his multi million dollar job every time he gets "sad", then he's a flat out liability.
"Sad" things happen in life. People get divorced. Break up. There's illnesses. Deaths. No matter how you slice it, these things are a part of life. If Kulemin can`t perform his job for an entire year every time he gets `sad``, then good riddance.
Sure, everything I said here would get me booed off the stage on "Oprah", but I think that`s a good thing. I think harsh honesty is MUCH more important than lying for the sake of sparing feelings.
Harsh honesty is fine. Being a d$ck and having absolutely no compassion for another human is a different matter entirely.
I'm also willing to bet that you've never personally experienced a huge tragedy in your life, or you wouldn't sound so ignorant in your posts about this topic.
Are we still using that excuse? Might as well of just given him the year off then.
Kulie's job is a little tougher than whatever you plug away at.
Bet you've never even lost a close friend, either. Or close friends.
Imagine being reminded of something that horrible almost everyday when you go through airport security and get on-board the plane. Kulie could even have a fear of flying, but toughs it out.
Besides, Kulie has been great in other areas of the game. He will eventually regain his scoring touch, especially after Carlyle starts to really work on the systems and ideas.
Kulie got most of his goals in the dirty areas, in front of the net, in the slots. He just needs to fight harder to score those greasy goals. He'll get there.
Or maybe it was gutless for Burke to not give him the time off he needed to grieve; Or for Burke to use this traumatic period as excuse to screw him on his next contract negotiation.
I'm sure the man who recently lost his 21 year old son and was afforded the time to grieve likely went this route.
After reading thru this thread i now understand why so many people on theses forums hate leaf fans. As a leaf fan im starting to dislike a lot of you. There are so many god damn stupid posts in this thread; prime example is "Ash35"
If Kulemin is going to essentially take an entire year off of his multi million dollar job every time he gets "sad", then he's a flat out liability.
"Sad" things happen in life. People get divorced. Break up. There's illnesses. Deaths. No matter how you slice it, these things are a part of life. If Kulemin can`t perform his job for an entire year every time he gets `sad``, then good riddance.
Sure, everything I said here would get me booed off the stage on "Oprah", but I think that`s a good thing.
I think harsh honesty is MUCH more important than lying for the sake of sparing feelings.
Perhaps the most pathetic post I think I've seen on here. And the truly sad part is there is absolutely no point in even attempting to show the OP how pathetic it is, because they don't have a hope of getting it.
After reading thru this thread i now understand why so many people on theses forums hate leaf fans. As a leaf fan im starting to dislike a lot of you. There are so many god damn stupid posts in this thread; prime example is "Ash35"
You're correct but they're not Leaf fans. The Leaf board has far and away the most 'anti-fans' who are just trolls. Sadly, many of them actually exist like this in real life, except they tend to be quieter in order to preserve themselves, but I'm sure you've heard them.
This thread disgusts me. Everyone responds to tragedies differently. Obviously, this one is hitting Kulemin hard.
Even though he's been snake bitten all season and can't seem to buy to a goal, he's still been playing well. He's still one of, if not the Leafs best defensive forward and one of the only forwards on the team that can actually contribute when he's not scoring.
There's only a few people in this thread who are 'against' Kulemin in some way. The majority want to see him succeed or improve in the future.
I believe in Kulemin. If he improves next season, great. If he doesn't, no hard feelings. My happiness does not rely on the supposed worth of another human being.
Imagine being paid millions of dollars playing a game, something which you've been training for your entire life. Your close friend who also plays the same game dies in a plane crash. You grieve and reflect. Maybe the game is not as important as people want to believe. Maybe there's more to this life than chasing a slab of rubber around for the amusement of yourself and others.
Nothing prepares you for death. People would like to believe it, but they're lying to themselves. It's also easy to be dispassionate about something you either are unwilling to understand, cannot understand, or unable to understand because of a genetic abnormality.
Maybe it feels wrong for him to have fun playing the same game that his friends no longer can. Maybe he and others are beginning to realize just how trivial and bloated all of this is. The people pay for it, the kids train for the fortune, they play the game only to be scrutinized no matter how good they are, the people complain and run them down, but you have to keep playing because a piece of paper tells you to. You're not free. Perhaps you never were free.
The unsustainable and short-term happiness of the many at the cost of a few. You see it everywhere. How far are you willing to go to fathom the psychological makeup of another human being? Most just want their beer and something to watch. There's no room for excuses between the product and my own enjoyment. Maybe that reveals more about me than anyone else?
Saw something about this earlier, but has there ever been an NHLer who had such a huge drop-off?
Kulemin was the Leafs best all around player last season, and among it's most consistent.
This season he knows how to hit a post or crossbar. But that's a significant drop-off in production.
Whatever his issue is/are I hope they get sorted out next season, we really need Kulemin to be the player he was last season.
I was really one of the bigger Kulemin believers but I think that plane crash distroyed him. He lost his mentor and all I understand, but his lack of performance goes far beyond that. Last year he was great without being given many responsibilities, but now with the weight of the world on him to produce for Toronto being put on him at the same time as the death of his friend, in surprised this guy hasn't had a panic attack yet
I think Kuley will be fine. If you've watched nearly every game you can see that he still brings it every night. Skates hard, checks well, plays good defense...just can't buy a goal. He always hits the post or is robbed. He had a rocket off the pipe against Pittsburgh.
I think he's one of our best all around forwards still. He's still racking up assists, just can't bury much. I think he'll be upwards of 20-25 next year.
If Kulemin is going to essentially take an entire year off of his multi million dollar job every time he gets "sad", then he's a flat out liability.
"Sad" things happen in life. People get divorced. Break up. There's illnesses. Deaths. No matter how you slice it, these things are a part of life. If Kulemin can`t perform his job for an entire year every time he gets `sad``, then good riddance.
Sure, everything I said here would get me booed off the stage on "Oprah", but I think that`s a good thing.
I think harsh honesty is MUCH more important than lying for the sake of sparing feelings.
and some people have difficulty dealing with those things.
who are you to judge what may be serious mental and emotional issues affecting someone's job performance?
