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The New York Islanders made a surprise move, re-uniting a pair of linemates with big free agent contracts. Numbers Game looks into the Islanders getting Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin. The Islanders Get: C Mikhail Grabovski and LW Nikolai Kulemin. Grabovski, 30, has been a productive centre, scoring 160 points in 261 games over the past four seasons, which ranks 98th among NHL forwards. While that alone is a decent indication of Grabovskis ability to contribute as a second-line centre, hes put up terrific relative possession numbers in four of the last five seasons, the only exception being in 2012-2013 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, when he was effectively buried in a defensive role. That led to his being bought out by the Maple Leafs in one of the more ridiculous decisions in the history of NHL contract buyouts. One year after he was bought out by the Maple Leafs and could only drum up enough interest to secure a one-year, $3-million deal as a free agent, Grabovski signed for four years and $20-million with the Isles. Going to the Islanders should offer Grabovski an opportunity to get favourable matchups, with zone starts tilted towards the offensive zone and softer opposition while opponents send their best at John Tavares line and the Islanders put Frans Nielsens line out for the toughest defensive assignments. Grabovski has scored 20 or more goals three times and topped 50 points twice. His career points per game of 0.59 works out to 48 points over an 82-game schedule, so maybe something around a 50-point season is the best-case scenario, but if Grabovski can put up between 40 and 50 points with typically strong possession stats over the course of his contract, he will be a solid addition for the Islanders. Grabovskis departure from Washington leaves a hole at second-line centre, one that still needs to be filled, unless Marcus Johansson or Evgeny Kuznetsov fit into that spot. Kulemin is a 27-year-old winger who scored 30 goals and 57 points riding shotgun with Grabovski for the Maple Leafs in 2010-2011, but has failed to generate much offence since, scoring 23 goals and 71 points in 188 games. But, to be fair, Kulemin has been stuck in a defensive role for the past couple seasons, with primarily defensive zone starts against quality opposition. While Kulemin hasnt scored a bunch in the NHL, particularly recently, hes produced enough to believe that there is more offence to be uncovered. He has 11 points in 20 games for Russia at the past two World Championships and 38 points in 36 KHL games while playing alongside Evgeni Malkin, so its not like Kulemin cant find his way around the offensive zone, but he likely needs a centre that will be the creator offensively. With the expectation that Kulemin will skate with Grabovski, he too should benefit from more offensive zone starts and favourable matchups. Maybe that results in Kulemin scoring 35-to-40 points (that 57-point season in 2010-2011 sure appears to be an aberration) and if that comes with solid two-way play then, even at his lofty price, Kulemin can be a worthy acquisition for the Isles. Toronto didnt seem to be in position to pay Kulemin, and they shouldnt have, based on how he was being used. Wingers that are deployed like Kulemin dont tend to get paid. Kulemins contract also runs for four years, paying him $16.75-million, which is a lot given his recent production, but if he gets more of an offensive opportunity, Kulemin has a decent shot at producing enough offensively to justify that price, which is fair for a second-line winger. All in all, this is an aggressive move by the Islanders and suddenly gives them terrific depth up front. So much that they likely need to find room on the wing for young guns like Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome, but its an enviable problem to have so much talent that some of your centres need to find room to play on the wing. Their defence can still get better, but these signings put the Islanders into the mix among playoff contenders for next season. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Air Max 270 React Italia . He was 26. Edwards, the Supercup Championship leader, was in the passenger seat as an instructor for a private training session at Queensland Raceway at Willowbank, outside Brisbane, Porsche Motorsport said. Air Vapormax 97 Scontate .com) - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right elbow last week, the teams official site reported Wednesday. http://www.outletscarpesaldi.it/air-vapo...-off-white.html. City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. Vapormax Plus Italia .com) - James Harden needed just seven made field goals to drop 35 points on the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Houston Rockets to a 104-93 win on Monday. Air Force 1 Low Saldi . Jones, from Winnipeg, built a 3-0 advantage after three ends by scoring two in the second and one in the third. Chinas skip Bingyu Wang cut that lead to 3-1 in the fourth before Canada added another three in the fifth for a 6-1 lead.The New York Rangers stayed alive in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final thanks to a brilliant performance from Henrik Lundqvist. However, the Los Angeles Kings will get another shot at winning their second championship in three years when the clubs meet tonight at Staples Center. You can listen to the game on TSN Radio at 8pm et/5pm pt and watch the post-game news conferences on TSN.ca and TSN GO. The Rangers lost the first three tests of this best-of-seven set, but finally broke through with a 2-1 victory Wednesday in New York. Lundqvist was the clear star for the Blueshirts, stopping 40 shots, including all 15 in a frantic third period to keep Los Angeles from mounting another comeback win in this series. Martin St. Louis netted the deciding goal early in the second to help the Rangers push the series to tonights Game 5 battle in the City of Angels. Faced with the prospect of being the first team to be swept out of the Stanley Cup Finals since Detroit beat the Washington Capitals in 1998, Lundqvist and his club improved to 11-2 in their last 13 elimination games and 5-0 during these playoffs. "We didnt want that Cup out on our home ice. The thought of it makes me sick," Lundqvist admitted. "Its about competing, you have to be extremely focused, one mistake and the seasons over. Exciting. Tough, but fun." The 32-year-old Swedish starter now owns an 8-0 record, 0.99 GAA, a .968 save percentage and two shutouts in his last eight games when facing elimination at home. Benoit Pouliot recorded a first-period tally for the Rangers, who hung on despite posting only one shot in the games final 20 minutes. Pouliots goal ended Kings goaltender Jonathan Quicks shutout streak at 123 minutes, 1 second. Dustin Brown scored and Quick made 17 saves for the Kings, who have a chance to celebrate winning their second Cup on home ice since 2012. L.A. beat New Jersey in six games for the crown in 2012. The Kings also opened a 3-0 lead in that series, but lost two straight before lifting the Cup at the Staples Center in Game 6. "It doesnt mean a whole lot. We wanted to close it out tonight, and we didnt do it," said Kings forward Anze Kopitar of being unable to sweep the Rangers. "But now were going home, and were going to try to close it there." In addition to a superb performance from their star goaltender, the Rangers also received the benefit of some "puck luck" in posting the franchises first Cup Finals victory on home ice since the clinching Game 7 of the 1994 Finals against Vancouver. Their second one led to the game winner. During an odd-man rush, Derek Stepan attempted a dish to Chris Kreider in the slot, but his stick shattered and the puck slid off a Kings defeender before snaking under a needlessly-sliding Quick.dddddddddddd St. Louis wisely stayed in position on the left wing and tapped the puck in from the near-side post at the 6:27 mark of the second period to give the hosts a 2-0 advantage. Brown halved the Kings deficit with 8:46 played on a breakaway, moving past Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi -- whose stick shattered at the right point -- and beating Lundqvist after several dekes from atop the crease. The score came two seconds after a Tyler Toffoli slashing minor expired. Los Angeles offense seemed to kick into another gear at that point, but Lundqvist stayed calm under the onslaught to prevent the Kings from claiming another win after falling behind 2-0 in a game. The Rangers blew two-goal leads en route to losing both Games 1 and 2 at L.A. beyond regulation, but were able to survive Game 4 with the win. On two occasions in Wednesdays game, the puck sat on the goal line behind Lundqvist and went no further thanks to a little help from his teammates. Midway through the first period, Jeff Carter had a prime chance to knot the score at 1-1 when a puck trickled between Lundqvists pads and headed for goal. Carter, however, failed to connect on his first chance and Rangers defenseman Anton Stralman was able to clear the disc out of harms way before the Kings forward could get a second crack at it. With time winding down in the third period, the situation repeated itself. Only this time, a bit of snow on the ice and the glove hand of New Yorks Derek Stepan saved the day. The puck found its way between Lundqvists pads again and slowed down just before the goal line when Stepan swept it out of danger with his fingertips. "Its not easy. The stress level is a little high obviously when the puck is laying there on the goal line," said St. Louis. "We had a little puck luck tonight. And you take those." The Rangers have won an NHL record eight straight home playoff games when their season was on the line, since Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference semifinals vs. Pittsburgh. Detroit (1949-55) and the Montreal Canadiens (1934-40) previously shared the top spot with seven in a row. New York will need to extend that NHL record to win this series, but first it has to survive tonights elimination game on the road. Only four teams in NHL history have come back from down 3-0 to win a best-of- seven set, and only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs pulled it off in the Stanley Cup Finals when they beat Detroit. The Kings, of course, became the fourth NHL team to come back from down 3-0 when they rallied to beat San Jose in the first round of this postseason. If the Rangers can stave off elimination again, the clubs will meet Monday in New York for Game 6. ' ' '
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