Former Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Released From PTO

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Austin Kelly
September 30, 2024 (7:01 PM)

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The Ottawa Senators have released veteran forward Nikolai Kulemin from his professional tryout contract (PTO), the team officially announced.

A former 10-year NHL veteran, Kulemin had not played in the league since 2017-18 with the New York Islanders, having spent the last six seasons in Russia's KHL split between Metallurg Magnitogorsk and Salavat Yulaev Ufa.

Kulemin had played for Ottawa in two games during their preseason, getting an assist against his former club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in a 6-5 win for Ottawa. Although a longshot to gain a roster spot in the NHL, Kulemin had a potential advantage given his experience in the league.

Now released from his tryout deal, Kulemin is free to sign another contract for this upcoming season, whether in the NHL or elsewhere. Kulemin could also sign in a lower league, such as the AHL, or return to Russia. Kulemin, 38, had 13 goals and 25 points in 46 KHL games for Salavat Yulaev last season.

In choosing Ottawa as a destination to potentially restart his NHL career, Kulemin did so to be close to his son Aleks, who plays U16 hockey in Canada for the Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), one of the top development systems in Canada for it's age group.

A second round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall, Kulemin debuted in 2008 for Toronto, playing six seasons for the Leafs in a consistent top-nine role before going on to spent the next four in New York with the Islanders, where he added a veteran presence to the Isles forward group.

After leaving the Islanders and the NHL in 2018, Kulemin returned home to Russia with Metallurg, having 16 goals and 35 points in 52 games playing together alongside KHL legend Sergei Mozyakin at forward. Kulemin signed with Salavat Yulaev in 2021 where he spent three seasons with the club until this past year at the expiration of his contract.

The Senators as well announced they had assigned goaltender Leevi Merilainen & defensemen Filip Roos & Donovan Sebrango to the AHL Belleville Senators training camp.