I couldn't agree with you more, here. I have Kulich ranked as high as anyone right now, at #18 overall. Here's my write-up from 2/3:
2022 Draft Profile:
LW/C Jiri Kulich, Karlovy EHL Czechia
Every year there are prospects I don't shut up about because I feel their consensus value lags far below their actual upside. Jiri Kulich is one of these prospects. I'm not certain why his consensus draft position generally falls in the early second round range, because he is a prospect I would strongly consider in the middle of the first round. This is a player who starts every shift like he was shot out of a cannon and leaves every iota of effort on the ice and starts the next shift the exact same way. But Jiri Kulich is not simply about compete level, because here we have a player with projectable size at 6'0-175, very good skating, high-level intelligence and no shortage of skills. While he lacks the singular elite physical tool which will make him a star-caliber top-liner, we do have a player with potential to perform in the NHL as a high-level, two-way second line forward with the capacity to slot up in the line-up.
I made a point in the previous paragraph of saying Kulich lacks a singular elite physical tool, but I need to begin an analysis of skills by hammering home the fact that the young Czechian forward's compete level is absolutely elite. I also need to repeat the fact that -- in my oft-stated opinion -- compete level may be the most important tool a hockey player can have, as it plays up every other one of their skills. With Kulich, he is always on the puck, he is a beast on the forecheck, and even if initially beaten he never gives up on a play. He plays as if there is a magnet towards the opposing net -- he's always driving into the opposing crease, with or without the puck. His game can generally be described as north/south, but I'd say he's more like "north/north". Though this can seem simple and rudimentary, it's amazing how many young hockey players choose the fancy play or the dazzle dazzle over the inclination to constantly flood the area where most goals are scored. While a more perimeter game can benefit elite talents like a Patrick Kane or a Nikita Kucherov, those elite talents actually benefit from having a linemate like Kulich who is just bum-rushing the crease and pounding shots on net.
And Kulich certainly possesses the requisite skill to play with high-caliber linemates. He's one of those "jack of all trades master of none" sorts -- he shoots well, he passes well, he puck handles well, he sees the ice well, he skates well. There are no weaknesses unless you're really nitpicking, which is especially impressive considering Kulich is on the younger side for the 2022 draft with a mid-April birthdate -- and even moreso when you consider he's playing quite well in a bottom 6 role for a team in the Czechia men's league. Though Kulich plays a great deal of center right now, I actually prefer him in the NHL as a LW -- I feel his game on both ends of the ice is improved through simplification, as this is a wonderful but also wonderfully non-complicated player. In the defensive zone, Kulich hustles his tail off to retrieve the puck, then makes smart plays to begin or compliment transition. In the offensive zone, Kulich works his tail off and when he gets the puck, he's looking to drive to the net or fire it on net. His passing his effective but lacks high-end creativity -- he hits the open man, but is not the guy to anticipate or create the lanes necessary for dazzling east-west plays. But if there's an open guy in tight make no mistake, Kulich will find him.
Jiri Kulich to me is a low risk, late-first-round draft pick whose reward is far higher than most people are giving him credit for. His compete mixed with an active brain which I'd alsmost describe as "hockey street smarts" plays up his skill set which is impressive and weakness-free in its own right. I say a player with a very high floor as a beast on an NHL 3rd line, but not just that. If Kulich can improve his already quite good skating and puckhandling a couple of notches, it's important to not underestimate his ability to compliment top talent -- this is certainly a kid with 30+ goal upside, in my opinion. As such, and also taking into account his all-around game -- I'm going to be proud to rank Jiri Kulich in my mid-first round rankings.
From a Devils standpoint, they're probably going to be picking too high in the first round to consider Kulich quite yet. But if he were to fall to the Devils 2nd round pick? Then holy crap would I want him there. This may sound unrealistic, but keep in mind that -- as of today -- the Devils second round pick falls at #36 overall. The Bob McKenzie poll has him at #40, McKeen's has him at #34, Craig Button at #33, Recruites at #31. In any of these cases, Kulich would have "steal of the draft" type potential, especially considering not just where my ranking of him will fall, but also Smaht Scouting (#18) and FC Hockey (#26). Jiri Kulich is a terrific hockey prospect as a two-way winger with versatility and power and skill in his high-engine brand of hockey.
I have no idea how you can have such a huge overview of players, it's beyond my comprehension
