- Nikolai Kulemin
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Nikolai Kulemin Koolio 
Born July 14, 1986
Magnitogorsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet UnionHeight 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) Position Left/right wing Shoots Left NHL team
Former teamsToronto Maple Leafs
RSL
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
AHL
Toronto MarliesNational team 
RussiaNHL Draft 44th overall, 2006
Toronto Maple LeafsPlaying career 2005–present Nikolai Vladimirovich Kulemin (Russian: Николай Владимирович Кулёмин; born July 14, 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kulemin was selected in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs as the 44th overall pick.
Contents
Personal
Kulemin is married and has two children — a boy named Alexei, born on March 20, 2009.[1]
Playing career
Toronto Maple Leafs
On May 25, 2007, Kulemin signed a three-year contract with the Maple Leafs,[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]
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.[6]
With the departure of teammate Tomáš Kaberle to the Boston Bruins, he currently has the most games played on the Maple Leafs active roster. On July 2, 2010, Kulemin signed a 2 year-year contract worth $2.35M per year.
On April 5th 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 and Mogilny, are the only Leafs to score 30 or more since the 1999-2000 NHL season.
Honours and awards
Individual awards
- Russian Super League MVP: 2007
Team awards
- Tampere Cup: 2006
- Česká Pojišťovna Cup: 2006
- Karjala Cup: 2006
- Channel One Cup: 2006
- Russian Super League championship: 2007
Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2005–06 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 31 5 8 13 8 11 2 4 6 6 2006–07 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 54 27 12 39 42 15 10 1 11 10 2007–08 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 57 21 12 33 63 11 2 2 4 29 2008–09 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 73 15 16 31 18 — — — — — 2008–09 Toronto Marlies AHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2009–10 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 78 16 20 36 16 — — — — — 2010–11 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 82 30 27 57 26 — — — — — NHL totals 233 61 63 124 60 — — — — — RSL totals 142 53 32 85 113 37 14 7 21 45 International play
Medal record Competitor for RussiaMen's ice hockey World Championships Silver 2010 Germany Bronze 2007 Russia World Junior Championships Silver 2006 Canada World Junior Ice Hockey U18 Championships Gold 2004 Belarus Played for Russia in:
- 2004 World Junior U18 Championships
- 2006 World Junior Championships
- 2006 World Championships
- 2007 World Championships
- 2010 World Championships
- 2011 World Championships
International statistics
Year Team Event Place GP G A Pts PIM 2004 Russia WJC18 
6 0 2 2 2 2006 Russia WJC 
4 4 2 6 25 2006 Russia WC 5th 7 1 3 4 2 2007 Russia WC 
9 2 1 3 0 2010 Russia WC 9 3 2 5 25 2011 Russia WC 4th 9 1 0 1 2 Junior int'l totals 10 4 4 8 27 Senior int'l totals 34 7 6 13 29 References
- ^ http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2009/03/21/8832711-sun.html
- ^ http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=208781&hubname=nhl
- ^ http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=1420309
- ^ http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=290321010
- ^ http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=1420309
- ^ http://espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=281009005
External links
- RussianPropects Profile
- Nikolai Kulemin's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
- Nikolai Kulemin's NHL player profile
- Nikolai Kulemin – player profile and career stats at European Hockey.Net
Categories:- 1986 births
- Living people
- HC Metallurg Magnitogorsk players
- People from Chelyabinsk Oblast
- Russian ice hockey left wingers
- Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks
- Toronto Maple Leafs players
- Toronto Marlies players
- Russian ice hockey winger stubs
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