Well he's gone from a career high shooting percentage to a career low. His shot totals are also down, assuming with proper coaching and that he'll be quite motivated this offseason, I think he'll rebound next year.
IMO he will be a solid 20 goal scorer who can play on the 2nd or 3rd line, who can also be used on a checking line because of his solid two-way game.
Does anyone remember how he started the year? Post after post followed by highlight reel saves. He seemed to slump for a good part of the season after having such bad luck at the start but he seems to be getting out of it lately.
Are we still using that excuse? Might as well of just given him the year off then.
I would hazard to say most of us would ask our doctors for a paper giving us time off to grieve. He's just unfortunate enough to work in a profession where he can't just take the time off.
Are we still using that excuse? Might as well of just given him the year off then.
I think this is a good time to pull out a Brian Burke "ignorant and gutless" comment.
What you said is ignorant and gutless!
It is ignorant because you have no idea how a person might be dealing with death. Some people are seriously never the same, and especially so when the death is the result of an accident like a plane crash.
It is gutless because I can be pretty darn sure you wouldn't say something like that to someones face. Lucky for you that the internet gives you the anonymity you need to tell people to get over the death of their friends for your entertainment.
His confidence just went down the drain at some point.
In my view, he seems a bit slower and less aggressive on the fore-check which is giving him/his line much less scoring opportunities. He was like a dog chasing a bone last year, and was seemingly always first on the puck when it was dumped in. This year...he's just a second late showing up on the fore-check.
Well he's gone from a career high shooting percentage to a career low. His shot totals are also down, assuming with proper coaching and that he'll be quite motivated this offseason, I think he'll rebound next year.
IMO he will be a solid 20 goal scorer who can play on the 2nd or 3rd line, who can also be used on a checking line because of his solid two-way game.
Pretty much this. Last year he was at his best, and this year at his worst so hopefully next year he'll bounce bakc to be in the middle. A 20 goal 30 assist forward that is also one of the better defensive players in the league is what I see him being.
Although I would have loved if he made progress from last year and became a Kesler type player, but I guess you can only ask for so much.
Been a rough year. Good for us, will get him for a lot cheaper.
He hit pleanty of posts last season as well. Problem with Kulimen is that he does not go to the places that he did last year to score. Last year he went hard to the net, fought to stay in good scoring areas and popped in quite a few rebounds. This season he has been a perimiter player who rarely goes anywhere near the net.
Maybe it is depression and it will clear up sometime or maybe it is something else but from what I can see, his play has been the big reason why our second line has not been nearly as productive as it was a year ago.
I expect that you are right, that we will get him a lot cheaper but at the same time I expect that any contract that he takes at this cheap price will also be a short deal (1-2 seasons). Both the Leafs and Kulimen will be wary of a long term deal. Kulimen will be wary because he knows that he can be better and thus earn a larger paycheck and the Leafs will be wondering which Kuli they will be paying for.
Does anyone remember how he started the year? Post after post followed by highlight reel saves. He seemed to slump for a good part of the season after having such bad luck at the start but he seems to be getting out of it lately.
On top of that Kulemin has had several tips in front of the net that just missed.
Having two lines that could score consistently is what we and Burke and Wilson all thought that the Leafs had going into this season.
Korolev (sp?) died in the crash and he was a father figure to Kulemin.
Kulemin would call him after some games for advice, they'd go out to dinner weekly, Korolev even taught Kulemin english. They even talked to each other the day of the crash.
They were really close, and it's not something somebody can get over easily. Athletes have feelings and emotions too.
Korolev (sp?) died in the crash and he was a father figure to Kulemin.
Kulemin would call him after some games for advice, they'd go out to dinner weekly, Korolev even taught Kulemin english. They even talked to each other the day of the crash.
They were really close, and it's not something somebody can get over easily. Athletes have feelings and emotions too.
I don't remember Kulemin being interviewed after a leafs game this whole season. Maybe the media knows he's having problems and are leaving him alone. Can anyone correct me if I was wrong. I can't recall seeing any post game interview in the dressing room with him in it.
I think this is a good time to pull out a Brian Burke "ignorant and gutless" comment.
What you said is ignorant and gutless!
It is ignorant because you have no idea how a person might be dealing with death. Some people are seriously never the same, and especially so when the death is the result of an accident like a plane crash.
It is gutless because I can be pretty darn sure you wouldn't say something like that to someones face. Lucky for you that the internet gives you the anonymity you need to tell people to get over the death of their friends for your entertainment.
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 would hazard to say most of us would ask our doctors for a paper giving us time off to grieve. He's just unfortunate enough to work in a profession where he can't just take the time off.
some people just don't care... no sympathy. it's unfortunate, but that's the reality
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 negotiations.
Who is to say that Burke or Wilson never offered for Kulemin to take some time off?
And now you think he deserves special consideration in contract negotiations, where as a minute ago you didn't think he deserved special consideration in an online hockey discussion? I hope that you didn't hurt yourself when you flip flopped at breack-neck speed.
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.
You should probably just stop! I can't say it's an excuse for Kulemin but I sure as hell ain't going to use it as a shot at Burke! Wow! Have a little class! I know some people don't like Burke but to use that - I'm going with the other guy as that's somewhat ignorant and gutless.
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 starting to hope that Burke says screw you guys and find another sucker willing to be GM in Toronto.
I think this is a good time to pull out a Brian Burke "ignorant and gutless" comment.
What you said is ignorant and gutless!
It is ignorant because you have no idea how a person might be dealing with death. Some people are seriously never the same, and especially so when the death is the result of an accident like a plane crash.
It is gutless because I can be pretty darn sure you wouldn't say something like that to someones face. Lucky for you that the internet gives you the anonymity you need to tell people to get over the death of their friends for your entertainment.
