PHILADELPHIA

Could Nikolai Kulemin be joining his Russian buddy Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh?

If you read between the lines of new Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, don’t bet against it happening.

When asked on Friday about Malkin and the fact that he seemed unhappy at times with the Penguins last season, Rutherford had this to say.

“I’m going to try to make him happy on July 1,” Rutherford said.

Kulemin is an unrestricted free agent and Leafs general manager Dave Nonis said he hasn’t had meaningful negotiations with his agent, Gary Greenstin. During the 2012 NHL lockout, Malkin and Kulemin played together with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL.

rob.longley@sunmedia.ca