TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay's off-season has been one of the busiest in recent memory, with multiple trades, free agent signings, and the addition of several prospects in the NHL Draft — including second-round pick Oleg Kulebiakin.
The 18-year-old forward from Russia has drawn comparisons to Lightning star Nikita Kucherov, and it's a connection that runs deeper than just playing style.
Kulebiakin has been a Lightning fan since he was 10 years old, with Kucherov as his favorite player.
During Lightning Development Camp, he finally met his hero.
"Before the second ice session, I met him. I said, 'Hi,' and my hands were shaking," Kulebiakin said.
Lightning general manager Julien Brisebois acknowledged the comparisons to Kucherov while urging perspective.
"His skill level is really high. Truth be told, any comparison to Nikita Kucherov is unfair. The one thing I hope all of our players take from Nikita is his work ethic, commitment to excellence, and being the best player he can be," Brisebois said.
There is another layer to the connection. 15 years ago, Kucherov was a second-round pick by Tampa Bay. When Brisebois called Kulebiakin's name in the second round of this year's draft, it was an emotional moment for the entire family.
"We watched the whole draft with my family. We waited for Tampa's pick because we all love Tampa. When he called my name, I was crying. My mom, my dad... everybody was crying. It was unbelievable," Kulebiakin said.
Last season in Quebec, Kulebiakin posted 29 goals and 73 points. He is committed to the University of Massachusetts, but his long-term ambitions are clear.
"I want to work more right now because my dream is to play here with the NHL players. I'm ready to work," Kulebiakin said.
"It was a dream to put this jersey... this logo over my body. That was a dream come true, and I'm so happy to be here," Kulebiakin said.
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