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Entry Draft and Prospects Discussion NHL Draft Forum. Each year the NHL Draft makes dreams come true for hundreds of junior players. Discuss prospects for the upcoming draft, or some of the best selections of the current or past years.
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01-12-2008, 11:41 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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-LIFETIME MEMBER-
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Niagara Falls
Posts: 10,562
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Kulemin's the real deal: Leafs Futures
Quote:
Kevin McGran
Sports Reporter
When Dave King was coaching in Magnitogorsk, Russia, two seasons ago, he had a problem.
He had this wonderful talent in Evgeni Malkin, but didn't have anybody to play with him. King wanted somebody who was defensively sound, so Malkin could weave his offensive magic.
Through trial and error and a spate of injuries, he ended up with Nikolai Kulemin, then a 19-year-old who was solid as granite, a 6-foot-1 tough guy who finished his checks.
He didn't play much and few in the organization thought Kulemin was more than a middling prospect. But King liked his defence-first attitude and since no one else had proved able to keep up with Malkin, he gave the kid a shot. Then something happened.
"All of a sudden, he shows he can make a lot of plays," King said. "The play didn't stop with him, he made the next play. Suddenly, Malkin was on a tear, the line was a real plus line and, really, the key element was Nikolai Kulemin."
Only some in the hockey world took notice of the magic in Magnitogorsk.
"Everybody would assume that Malkin made Kulemin a great player. It was a combination of both players," King said. "Malkin's a great player, but Kulemin could really play with Malkin, read off Malkin. He's just a really good, really complete player. Any NHL organization that's got this man has a good player."
The organization that drafted Kulemin in 2006 (44th overall) – and has him signed to a three-year-deal worth $4.4 million (U.S.) – is the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/293314
The future may not be as bleak as some think for this team. They should get a top 5 pick and maybe more depending on the Sundin situation, and then there is Nikolai Kulemin playing like a super star in Russia.
If properly managed this Leafs team may have a much better future then we think.
Last edited by Amoroq : 01-12-2008 at 11:44 PM.
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01-13-2008, 12:00 AM
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#2 (permalink)
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HF-MOTM Winner - Dec 07
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Belleville
Posts: 892
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Quote:
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If properly managed this Leafs team may have a much better future then we think.
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That sentence alone should already have a frown forming on Leaf Fans lips. |
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01-13-2008, 12:04 AM
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#3 (permalink)
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Niagara Falls
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Quote:
Originally Posted by canadiancreed
That sentence alone should already have a frown forming on Leaf Fans lips.
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Normally I would tend to agree, but I really think a big change is going to come. |
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01-13-2008, 12:25 AM
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#4 (permalink)
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HF-MOTM Winner - Dec 07
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Belleville
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Amoroq
Normally I would tend to agree, but I really think a big change is going to come.
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I remember hearing the same thing with Welland, Potvin, and Wendal Clark too. |
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01-13-2008, 12:31 AM
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#5 (permalink)
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-LIFETIME MEMBER-
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Niagara Falls
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Quote:
Originally Posted by canadiancreed
I remember hearing the same thing with Welland, Potvin, and Wendal Clark too.
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Me too, but I think MLSE will finally get it after this fiasco and give control to a Bowmanesque type Gm with full power to tell the board to go play with themselves once they give them the budget. As we all know will be to the cap max. At least this is what I hope happens. |
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01-13-2008, 12:37 AM
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#6 (permalink)
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HF-MOTM Winner - Dec 07
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Belleville
Posts: 892
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Amoroq
Me too, but I think MLSE will finally get it after this fiasco and give control to a Bowmanesque type Gm with full power to tell the board to go play with themselves once they give them the budget. As we all know will be to the cap max. At least this is what I hope happens.
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Personally I dont' see any reason why they would. The cash is rolling in, the team is more like an institution (if you dont' want to use the term "money printer"), so why would you want to invest more money when your'e already guarentted that fans will continue to buy tickets, LeafsTV subscriptions, merchanside, and any paper or magazine that has a whiff of what's going on with the Leafs. Hell this whole soap opera is just free publicity. |
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01-13-2008, 12:44 AM
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#7 (permalink)
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-LIFETIME MEMBER-
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Niagara Falls
Posts: 10,562
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Quote:
Originally Posted by canadiancreed
Personally I dont' see any reason why they would. The cash is rolling in, the team is more like an institution (if you dont' want to use the term "money printer"), so why would you want to invest more money when your'e already guarentted that fans will continue to buy tickets, LeafsTV subscriptions, merchanside, and any paper or magazine that has a whiff of what's going on with the Leafs. Hell this whole soap opera is just free publicity.
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Oh I know the cash is rolling in but I don't think this corporation wants to remain the laughing stock anymore. I have this feeling something large will happen in the off season or sooner. The leafs haven't had this kind of melt down with this current structure of ownership. If this were Harold Ballards leafs then yea, he could care less what people think. But this isn't Harold Ballards Leafs anymore. AND THANK THE LORD FOR THAT! |
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01-13-2008, 01:46 AM
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#8 (permalink)
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HF-MOTM Winner - Dec 07
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Belleville
Posts: 892
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Amoroq
Oh I know the cash is rolling in but I don't think this corporation wants to remain the laughing stock anymore. I have this feeling something large will happen in the off season or sooner. The leafs haven't had this kind of melt down with this current structure of ownership. If this were Harold Ballards leafs then yea, he could care less what people think. But this isn't Harold Ballards Leafs anymore. AND THANK THE LORD FOR THAT!
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No its' not Harold's, if I recall its' some faceless pension fund. At least with Harold they had a target, instead of the grey fog of corporate Canada.
Personally I dont' see them really caring about what folsk think of their decisions as long as it makes their members more money. |
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01-13-2008, 01:34 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatineau, Quebec
Posts: 6,481
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With the way the team is run I hope that they trade Kulemin... and Kyle Wellwood and Alexander Steen while they're at it.
This team doesn't know how to handle prospects.
__________________
"It's not the way it's going to be. We have to be very, very patient and build this the right way. We have to go through a process. It may be painful. I hope it isn't. But we're prepared for all the bumps and pratfalls and potholes in the road ahead. I'm prepared for it anyway, or I wouldn't have come." - Ron Wilson, Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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01-13-2008, 02:21 PM
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#10 (permalink)
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Rookie
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Prague Czech Republic
Posts: 153
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i was able to see Kluemin play today against my favourite squad in the european championship and boy does he look good. He really looked like Alex ovechkin throwing the body but he dosent have the scoring skills like a.o. I like this kid alot and he sure kicked are arse today. He is solid defensivly and has a cracking shot. I didnt know he was as good as he is now. Im surprised. He gave petr Nedved fits today but Petr Nedved is a wank.
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Jdi do hajzlu Senators and Habs
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Kulemin's the real deal: Leafs Futures
