Denis Kulyash

Denis Kulyash , 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. 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" . Kulyash currently holds the record for the fastest ice hockey shot with a speed of previously held by Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara.

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".

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. However, Kulyash was quick to retreat expressing his delight at joining his native team. 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).

On May 3, 2011, Kulyash was announced as the new player of the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan. 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.