Nikolai Kulemin

Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Number: 41
Position: Left Wing
Height: 6’1”/186 cm
Weight: 225 lbs/102 kg
Shoots: Left
Born: July 14, 1986 in Magnitogorsk, RUS
Drafted: Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs in 2nd round (44th overall) of the 2006 Entry Draft

Strengths: Kulemin is an effective defensively-responsible forward with plenty of speed, grit, and a heavy shot. He rarely gives up fighting for the puck, fits in well on any line he is assigned to, and is reliable in any situation in the game.

Weaknesses: While Kulemin has proved that he is a 30-goal scorer, he sometimes falls into long dry spells throughout the season. He doesn’t seem to take as many shots on net as he is capable of.

Biography: Like his friend and fellow NHL star Evgeni Malkin, Nikolai Kulemin was born and raised in the steelmaking city of Magnitogorsk in the southern Ural Mountains. As a teenager, Kulemin developed with the local Metallurg hockey school and made it to the professional league at the age of 17. In 2004, Kulemin was a member of Russia’s team that won gold at the under-18 championship. In his third professional season, Kulemin was transferred to Magnitogorsk’s main club, which played in the Russian Superleague. The 2006-07 season was a breakthrough year for Nikolai. Not only did his Metallurg win the Superleague championship, but he was also named the league MVP after tallying 27 goals in 54 games. After one more productive season in Russia, Kulemin moved on to play in the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team that had drafted him in 2006. Nikolai became one of the few players in Leafs history to score in his first NHL game – it was the gamewinning goal against the Detroit Red Wings. Nikolai’s adjustment to North American hockey and life was eased by the presence of three other Russian speakers on the Maple Leafs – Nikolai Antropov, Alexei Ponikarovsky, and Mikhail Grabovski. Towards the end of the 2009-10 season, Kulemin was promoted to his team’s first line with sniper Phil Kessel and centre Tyler Bozak. In 2010-11, Kulemin emerged as the Leafs’ hardest working player and one of the league’s best two-way forwards. His line with Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur was the team’s most consistent and also arguably the NHL’s most productive second line. Nikolai also broke the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career. In just his fourth NHL season, Nikolai is already the longest-tenured player in Toronto. Kulemin has also played for Russia in four world championship tournaments and has won silver and bronze medals.

Club Stats:

Season	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM
2003-04	Metallurg-2 Magnitogorsk (RHL-3)	43	8	18	26		91
2004-05	Metallurg-2 Magnitogorsk (RHL-3)	43	9	13	22		44
2005-06	Metallurg-2 Magnitogorsk (RHL-3)	4	3	1	3		6
2005-06	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	31	5	7	12		8
2006-07	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	54	27	12	39		42
2007-08	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	57	21	12	33		63
2008-09	Toronto (AHL)	5	0	0	0		0
2008-09	Toronto	73	15	16	31	-8	18
2009-10	Toronto	78	16	20	36	0	16
2010-11	Toronto	82	30	27	57	+7	26
Totals	RHL Reg. Season	142	53	31	84		113
Totals	RHL Playoffs	37	14	7	21		45
Totals	NHL Reg. Season	233	61	63	124	-1	60
Totals	NHL Playoffs	0	0	0	0	0	0

National Team Stats:

Year	Tournament	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2004	World U18	6	0	2	2	2
2006	World U20	4	4	2	6	25
2006	World Championship	7	1	3	4	2
2007	World Championship	9	2	1	3	0
2010	World Championship	9	3	2	5	25
2011	World Championship	9	1	0	1	2
Totals	U18 Level	6	0	2	2	2
Totals	U20 Level	4	4	2	6	25
Totals	Senior Level	34	7	6	13	29

Photo Gallery:

Nikolai played two great seasons for his hometown Metallurg

At the 2006 World Junior Championship

Kulemin celebrates a goal against Canada at the 2010 Worlds

Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski are frequent collaborators on Toronto goals

The longest-serving current Maple Leaf

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