Nikolay Kulemin underwent shoulder surgery on Monday that likely ends his season and quite possibly his time with the Islanders.
Kulemin, 31, crashed awkwardly into the boards on a hit from the Oilers’ Eric Gryba on Tuesday and left the ice clutching his arm. The Islanders said his recovery time will be six months, meaning the Isles would have to be deep in the postseason for the big winger to return.
Kulemin signed with the Islanders as a free agent on July 2, 2014, part of a package signing along with close friend Mikhail Grabovski. Kulemin signed for four years at $4.