When Mikhail Grabovski first realized that his good buddy Nikolay Kulemin meant to try an NHL comeback this fall by attempting out for the Ottawa Senators, his response echoed these heard across the hockey world.
Wait.
What?
“Form of stunned,” Grabovski advised The Athletic this week. “However then I checked out his legs and I stated, ‘Oh, in all probability he can do it nonetheless.’ He’s a machine.”
Even with the sizable quads which have powered Kulemin via 20 years {of professional} hockey, it’s a tall order. Take into account that almost seven years had elapsed between his final recreation with the New York Islanders in November 2017 and his preseason debut for the Senators over the weekend — and that solely 10 skaters his age (38) or older managed to play within the NHL final season.
Kulemin spent the previous six seasons making dwelling again residence in Russia and had a number of presents to stay within the KHL however elected as a substitute to leap into the good unknown.
Simply as household issues drove his choice to go away the NHL initially — the prospect to play for hometown Metallurg Magnitogorsk in 2018 got here with the additional advantage of shifting his two children to the town the place their grandparents lived — it’s one other household growth that has put him on a path to what he hopes is an unlikely second act in North America.
Kulemin’s son, Aleks, is an aspiring hockey participant and faces an vital few months forward with the potential of being drafted into the OHL after the season. The chance to have him spend that draft yr taking part in AAA for the Don Mills Flyers within the Larger Toronto Hockey League was just too good for the household to cross up.
“I made a decision this yr that I wished my son to play right here in Canada,” Nikolay Kulemin advised The Athletic. “It’s stage of hockey. It’s a quick recreation right here, it’s somewhat totally different than Russia. Groups have much less gamers, so it’s like solely three traces of forwards and again residence it’s 4 traces. It’s somewhat extra thrilling, somewhat extra ice time, so it’s going to be one thing new for him to undergo.”
Nikolay Kulemin performed his final NHL recreation on Nov. 7, 2017. (Jerome Miron / USA At this time)
The one difficult a part of that equation is that he wasn’t able to say goodbye to his personal taking part in profession simply but.
So together with his spouse, Natasha, dedicated to taking care of the youngsters in Toronto, Kulemin sought out an NHL alternative — ultimately touchdown a PTO from a Senators crew on the lookout for extra aggressive culture-setting veterans. It definitely didn’t harm that Dave Poulin, Ottawa’s senior vice-president of hockey operations, had a constructive view of Kulemin’s notoriously robust work ethic and health ranges due to a relationship that dates 15 years to their time along with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Whereas that opened the door a crack, Kulemin’s PTO comes with no guarantees past a airplane ticket to camp, a resort room to sleep in and a every day $132 stipend for incidentals.
The steep uphill climb he’s dealing with to a spot on the NHL roster was solely underlined by the very fact Kulemin was a part of the group despatched to Toronto for Sunday’s exhibition opener. The Senators opted for a “B” crew suffering from AHL-level expertise and junior gamers for a recreation they wound up successful 6-5 in time beyond regulation. Kulemin picked up an help whereas, maybe extra critically, not being on the ice for any objectives towards.
In these early days of coaching camp, there hasn’t been a variety of dialogue with administration or the teaching employees about what they’re on the lookout for. He’s solely centered on proving himself as much as the problem.
“Simply present my finest and present that I nonetheless can do it,” Kulemin stated. “Nonetheless can produce. Nonetheless can sustain with all of those younger guys and the velocity (of the sport).”
All through his 10-year NHL profession, he was referred to as a conscientious two-way ahead who may win puck battles alongside the wall and function a steadying presence on a line. Even throughout a 30-goal, 57-point marketing campaign with the Maple Leafs in 2010-11 — a season he now cites as a profession spotlight due to how seamlessly issues clicked with Clarke MacArthur and Grabovski — there wasn’t a variety of flash to Kulemin’s recreation.
“He’s simply dependable at all times,” Grabovski stated.
Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin have a good time a aim in 2011. (John E. Sokolowski / USA At this time)
Over the previous three years with Ufa Salavat Yulayev within the KHL, you could possibly principally set a watch to Kulemin’s manufacturing, with seasons of 14, 13 and 13 objectives and 27, 28 and 25 factors.
“I simply attempt to put together myself yearly,” Kulemin stated. “Simply preserve in good condition in the summertime. Simply preserve coaching and take much less relaxation yearly. To be skilled it’s a must to take significantly each little factor. You must reside it. You must prepare. You must relaxation properly. You must eat properly.
“There’s no secrets and techniques.”
Whether or not this marks the tip of the street or the opening of a brand new door stays to be seen.
The Senators are approaching the scenario with an open thoughts and may take into account extending Kulemin a chance to hitch AHL Belleville if he doesn’t find yourself with considered one of 23 out there roster spots in Ottawa by opening night time. It’s not but clear if he’d be open to that, although.
Whereas some may marvel why he’d even try a NHL comeback after a lot time away, Kulemin insists he wouldn’t be at Senators coaching camp if he wasn’t critical about successful a job.
And he’s acquired an outdated buddy in his nook who believes he can nonetheless be of service if deployed within the correct position and judged beneath the best circumstances.
“At this age, he already has a lot expertise and tranquility,” Grabovski stated. “You simply come and also you do your finest. The coach tells you what number of minutes you play and also you do it. I feel Kulie already is aware of he’s not going to attain 30 objectives in a season, proper?
“He simply must be a fourth-line participant.”
He could have overwhelmed appreciable odds if he may even make that occur.
(Prime picture courtesy of the Ottawa Senators)
