Kulak was a third pairing defenseman. And by that point it had been made plenty obvious that he was not capable of handling the larger role. Most teams, including Stanley Cup contenders don't fill those roles with guys making salaries that approach $3m.I think part of the problem is we didn't have any certainty at LD until we got Ekholm at the deadline in 2023. Broberg's true opportunity was when we had Nurse - Kulak - XX on the left side, but he didn't do anything with it.
Broberg wasn't ready yet, and deservedly got shuffled out when Ekholm was acquired.In the 2023 off season losing Kulak wasn't an option because we had nobody of any experience behind him to play.
Could he have been given more opportunity? Sure, maybe. But he wasn't out playing any of the LD such that he should step in above them, and was getting out played by Desharnais on 3RD. Could a move have been made to dump Ceci and play him on the right side with Nurse? Maybe, but that's a role that Broberg at that point had given no indication he could fill.
He's more a victim of bad timing and circumstance than being hard done by by the organization IMO.
This is a team that attracts misfit veteran players because of their current situation. Zero reason why they wouldn't have been able to fill that role the same way a team like Florida consistently does.
Broberg needed runway to succeed in the NHL like most players do. He never got that here because the organization was too attached to its veterans.
That would be true if I wasn't consistent in my opinion that moving Kulak was always the move that had to be made.Negative Nancy Crew major in hindsight