Nikolay Kulemin

Nikolay Kulemin

Kulemin with the New York Islanders in March 2015.
Born (1986-07-14) July 14, 1986
Magnitogorsk, Russian SFSR, URS
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 New York Islanders
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Toronto Maple Leafs
National team  Russia
NHL Draft 44th overall, 2006
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 2003–present
Medal record
World Championships
2007 Russia
2010 Germany
2012 Finland
2014 Belarus
2015 Czech Republic
World Junior Championships
2006 Canada
IIHF World U18 Championships
2004 Belarus

Nikolay Vladimirovich Kulemin (Russian: Николай Владимирович Кулёмин; born July 14, 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He is playing with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kulemin was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft as the 44th overall pick.

Playing career

On May 25, 2007, Kulemin signed a three-year contract with the Maple Leafs,[1] but stayed in Russia for the 2007–08 season on a handshake agreement between the Maple Leafs and Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL. During the early stages of the 2008–09 NHL season, his first in the NHL, Kulemin found chemistry on a line with teammates Niklas Hagman and Mikhail Grabovski. Near the end of the season, after the trade of Leafs forward Nik Antropov, Kulemin was used mainly on a line with Grabovski and Alexei Ponikarovsky.[2] In a game against the Montreal Canadiens on March 21, 2009, soon after the line was created, Kulemin posted a career-high three points (one goal and two assists) in a 5–2 Toronto win.[3] It has been noted that Ponikarovsky, a Ukrainian, has helped Kulemin become more comfortable in North America by translating and serving as a mentor on and off the ice.[2]

Kulemin with the Maple Leafs in 2012

Kulemin's first NHL goal occurred in his first NHL game, against the Detroit Red Wings, on goaltender Chris Osgood, in Toronto's 2008–09 season opener on October 9, 2008. The goal ended up as the game winner in a 3–2 Leafs win.[4] He was selected as a reserve by Team Russia for the 2010 Winter Olympics should an injury occur during the tournament.[5] On July 2, 2010, Kulemin signed a 2 year-year contract worth $2.35M per year.

On April 5, 2011, Kulemin became the first Russian-born Toronto Maple Leaf to score 30 goals in a season since Alexander Mogilny scored 33 in 2002–2003. Kulemin, along with Mats Sundin, Phil Kessel, James van Riemsdyk and Mogilny, are the only Leafs to score 30 or more since the 1999–2000 NHL season. Following this season, which was a personal best, Kulemin dropped to 7 goals over 70 games in the 2011–12 NHL season. Kulemin was re-signed by Toronto on July 20, 2012, to another two-year contract, worth $2.8M per year.[6] During the NHL lockout in the 2012–13 NHL season, he returned to the Metallurg Magnitogorsk, where he scored 38 points in 36 games. Upon the lockout ending he returned to Toronto. He was selected to play in the 2014 Winter Olympics for the Russian National team on home soil.

On July 2, 2014, Kulemin left the Leafs after six seasons to sign a four-year free agent contract with the New York Islanders.[7]

Personal

Kulemin is married and has two children; his son was born on March 20, 2009,[8] and his daughter was born on February 10, 2012.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2003–04 Metallurg-2 Magnitogorsk RUS-3 438182691 —————
2004–05 Metallurg-2 Magnitogorsk RUS-2 439132244 —————
2005–06 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 3158138 112466
2005–06 Metallurg-2 Magnitogorsk RUS-2 43146 —————
2006–07 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 5427123942 151011110
2007–08 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 5721123363 1122429
2008–09 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7315163118 —————
2008–09 Toronto Marlies AHL 50000 —————
2009–10 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7816203616 —————
2010–11 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 8230275726 —————
2011–12 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70721286 —————
2012–13 Metallurg Magnitogorsk KHL 3614243826 —————
2012–13 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 487162322 70110
2013–14 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 709112024 —————
2014–15 New York Islanders NHL 8215163121 71122
NHL totals 50399127226133 141232
RSL totals 142533285113 371472145

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Russia WJC18 1st 6 0 2 2 2
2006 Russia WJC 2nd 4 4 2 6 25
2006 Russia WC 5th 7 1 3 4 2
2007 Russia WC 3rd 9 2 1 3 0
2010 Russia Oly QF – – – – –
2010 Russia WC 2nd 9 3 2 5 25
2011 Russia WC 4th 9 1 0 1 2
2012 Russia WC 1st 10 1 3 4 0
2014 Russia Oly QF 5 0 0 0 2
2014 Russia WC 1st 10 3 4 7 2
Junior totals 10 4 4 8 27
Senior totals 59 11 13 24 33

Honours and awards

Individual awards

Team awards

References

  1. ↑ http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=208781&hubname=nhl
  2. 1 2 http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=1420309
  3. ↑ Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens – Recap – March 21, 2009 – ESPN
  4. ↑ Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings – Recap – October 9, 2008 – ESPN
  5. ↑ Kovalev, Frolov, Zubov and Kulemin added to Olympics squad – Russian National Hockey Team
  6. ↑ "Leafs sign Kulemin to two-year contract extension". Toronto Sun. 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  7. ↑ "Islanders agree to terms with Kulemin". New York Islanders. 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
  8. ↑ "Kulemin first time father". Toronto Sun. 2009-03-21. Retrieved 2010-02-03.

External links

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