New York Islanders Five Players Not Playing Their Payroll

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Nov 7, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders left wing Nikolay Kulemin (86) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Nikolai Kulemin

Cap Hit: $4.1875 million, Two Year Remaining

Here we are in the land of negative point production with Nikolai Kulemin. After 19 games, Kulemin is three points off where he should be based on his body of work in the NHL.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, Kulemin’s better years are clearly behind him. No one can think we’re going to see the same player that was dominant in Toronto some years ago.

In some way, I feel bad for Kulemin. Put the same contract in front of me that Garth Snow put in front of him and I’d sign too. And like Kulemin, there’s no way the Isles are going to get the level of production from me to justify the costs.

Kulemin is doing just about everything else right. He does what the team wants him to do, from second line scoring duties one night, to fourth line shutdown duties the very next night.

If the Isles were winning games like that two years before, maybe I’d overlook this deal. But in a season like this, where winning is a rarity his production slip is glaringly obvious. And his $4.187 million hit makes it so much worse.