While the Maple Leafs are going to have their hands full in dealing with other situations this summer, another concern they have is working out new deals with restricted free agents. Case in point: Nikolai Kulemin.
Kulemin has been an important player to the Leafs’ success the past few seasons and the former 30-goal scorer will be looking for a little financial security this summer. The Toronto Sun says that may wind up being tricky.
Kulemin’s agent, Gary Greenstin, was somewhat cryptic in a recent interview, saying “we’ll see what happens” in talks with the Leafs, but emphasized that Kulemin wants to remain in Toronto.
Two years ago, the sides went long and hard at each other before hammering out a new deal.
Kulemin is coming off a two-year deal that paid him $4.7 million but is also coming off a 2011-2012 season that saw him pot just seven goals and 28 points, both career lows. That doesn’t do much to help negotiating leverage but one bad season likely won’t do much to deter his agent from looking to score big.