Denis Kulyash

Denis Kulyash (Russian: Денис Куляш), born on 31 May 1983 in Omsk (Russian Federation) is a professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the HSC Csíkszereda of the Erste Liga. On 6 November 2020 the Romanian Government offered him Romanian citizenship.^[1] Kulyash has been a long-time member of Russia's national ice hockey team known for his extremely hard slap shot, which gained him a nickname "Tsar Cannon" (Russian: Царь-пушка). Kulyash currently holds the record for the fastest ice hockey shot with a speed of 110.3 miles per hour (177.5 km/h) previously held by Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara.^[2][3]

Denis Kulyash
On a game KHL SKA-Avangard (Ice Palace, St.Petersburg, Russia, 29.11.2010)
Born	(1983-05-31) May 31, 1983 (age 42) Omsk, Soviet Union
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	109 kg (240 lb; 17 st 2 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Erste Liga team Former teams	HSC Csíkszereda CSKA Moscow Dynamo Moscow Avangard Omsk Ak Bars Kazan Salavat Yulaev Ufa Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg Severstal Cherepovets Daemyung Killer Whales
National team	Russia
NHL draft	243rd overall, 2004 Nashville Predators
Playing career	2003–2022

Early life

Denis is the son of Vladislav and Nina Kulyash, both from Omsk.

Playing career

After failing to make it into the senior team of Avangard Omsk, Denis Kulyash made his Russian Super League debut with HC CSKA, enjoying significant success with the club and as a result getting drafted by the Nashville Predators late in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. The young defenceman then signed with HC Dynamo Moscow in a hotly contested transfer and struggled to play at the same level. His career got back on track when he delivered a productive 2007-08 season after returning to HC CSKA in 2007. In February 2009, Kulyash scored his 50th career goal and thus became a member of the "Fetisov Club".^[4]

In January 2010, Kulyash was controversially traded to his home-town club Avangard Omsk in return for two other defencemen, Filipp Metlyuk and Evgeny Kurbatov. He went public with his discontent blaming HC CSKA's General Manager Sergei Nemchinov for the trade.^[5] However, Kulyash was quick to retreat expressing his delight at joining his native team.^[6] The defenceman managed to score against Metallurg Novokuznetsk, his second game in Avangard's jersey, but was injured in the next game and failed to make an impact throughout the rest of the disappointing season for the club.

In February 2011, Kulyash set the new world record for hardest shot during the KHL All-Star Superskills Competition. His result is 110.3 mph (177.6 km/h).^[7]

On May 3, 2011, Kulyash was announced as the new player of the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan.^[8] In May 2013 he signed a new two-year contract with Avangard Omsk.

During the 2018-19 season, his 11th in the KHL, Kulyash made 24 appearances with Severstal Cherepovets, before leaving the club and the league to sign for the remainder of the campaign with Korean club, Daemyung Killer Whales, of the AL.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999–2000	Avangard–VDV Omsk	RUS.3		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Gazovik Tyumen	RUS.3		9	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Progress Solikamsk	RUS.3		38	3	8	11	62		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	CSK VVS–2 Samara	RUS.3		24	10	9	19	73		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Omskie Yastreby	RUS.3		8	2	4	6	8		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	CSKA Moscow	RSL		10	1	0	1	8		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	CSKA–2 Moscow	RUS.3		9	2	1	3	32		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	CSKA Moscow	RSL		59	8	10	18	58		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	CSKA–2 Moscow	RUS.3		3	0	1	1	6		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Dynamo Moscow	RSL		44	12	5	17	117		4	0	2	2	6
2006–07	Dynamo Moscow	RSL		48	3	9	12	58		2	0	0	0	2
2006–07	Dynamo–2 Moscow	RUS.3		6	0	2	2	18		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	CSKA Moscow	RSL		53	9	13	22	79		6	1	1	2	34
2008–09	CSKA–2 Moscow	RUS.3		—	—	—	—	—		4	0	2	2	4
2008–09	CSKA Moscow	KHL		56	16	10	26	62		8	2	1	3	20
2009–10	CSKA Moscow	KHL		35	11	10	21	34		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Avangard Omsk	KHL		6	1	1	2	6		3	0	0	0	4
2010–11	Avangard Omsk	KHL		48	11	15	26	45		14	3	3	6	12
2011–12	Ak Bars Kazan	KHL		44	6	12	18	40		12	0	1	1	37
2012–13	Ak Bars Kazan	KHL		44	4	9	13	66		18	2	5	7	6
2013–14	Avangard Omsk	KHL		51	11	11	22	57		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Avangard Omsk	KHL		58	10	17	27	58		11	2	0	2	0
2015–16	Avangard Omsk	KHL		39	5	9	14	65		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL		58	12	10	22	46		5	1	0	1	6
2017–18	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL		16	2	3	5	20		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	KHL		32	7	7	14	32		1	0	0	0	2
2018–19	Severstal Cherepovets	KHL		24	2	4	6	41		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Daemyung Killer Whales	ALH		11	1	3	4	20		3	0	1	1	0
2019–20	HSC Csíkszereda	EL		38	14	18	32	42		7	2	4	6	10
2019–20	HSC Csíkszereda	ROU		26	16	18	34	20		—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	HSC Csíkszereda	EL		19	5	7	12			9	2	3	5
2020–21	HSC Csíkszereda	ROU		15	9	15	24	45		—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	HSC Csíkszereda	EL		34	12	15	27	39		14	4	7	11	14
2021–22	HSC Csíkszereda	ROU		20	13	13	26	12		1	0	1	1	0
RSL totals				214	33	37	70	320		12	1	3	4	42
KHL totals				511	98	118	216	572		72	10	10	20	87

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Russia	WC	5th		7	3	1	4	6
Senior totals					7	3	1	4	6

Records

Denis Kulyash set the new world record for shot power, 110.3 mph (177.6 km/h) during the KHL All Star Superskills Competition on 3rd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game.