Everyone has heard by now that talks between Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke and Nikolai Kulemin have stalled.
What puzzles me is why this is such big news.
Obviously with the Leafs not in the playoffs I suppose anything to do with the team is bound to be big news. I know I often find myself jonesing for some "Buds talk."
Young Kulemin and his agent are asking for around $3 million a season, and Burke has reportedly not offered nearly that much.
Burke said in an interview yesterday on AM 640 that the two sides hadn't exchanged proposals in more than two weeks.
The Maple Leafs GM said, "While they can say: ‘he was on your first line last year,' there is no one who would say Kulemin is a first line left winger. He's a first line left winger by default because we did not have a very good team. I'm not paying for someone who gets the position by default. "
Brian Burke is absolutely right, and if Kulemin and his agent aren't careful, he could find himself without a contract next season.
But from Kulemin's standpoint, I understand where he's coming from too. He was a first line win ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Eric Warren
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