C Jiri Kulich - Rochester Americans, AHL (2022, 28th, BUF)
- Thread starter Pavel Buchnevich
- Start date
If he can string together a couple more games like he had last night I’m sure it’ll be on the agenda.
Olofsson is gone after this year as his contract runs out.
I'd rather see Kulich focus on maintaining his confidence and rounding out his game in the AHL and another playoff run, a cup of coffee in the NHL might be nice but doesn't really push the needle anywhere.
I agree savoie is probably up with the big club next year kulich could move to wing full time next year with ostlund and wahlberg coming over and get and round out where his game is suited best
Wahlberg isn't going to be playing center when he gets to the NHL. Neither should Kulich IMO.
A line of wahlberg-ostlund-kulich would be fun but yeah, hoping he learned something from playing center but rather have him learn to be a 2 way winger maybe playing center will help him learn what lanes to cover on the backcheck and where to go in the zone to help break out or something but he is a winger all day
Part of what I'm wondering at in their development of him is that he's played a lot at center this year, even being moved back to center when his post U20 offensive slump continued. Appert is constantly praising he and Rosen for their defensive play, play off the puck, etc... but I'm not sure I see what he's talking up. Kulich as more F1/F2 rather than having him be F3 and responsible deep in his own zone seems to fit but maybe the long game for him is to work on his defensive responsibility so he's more akin to someone like Palat than just some PP shot option.
Wahlberg getting national team time on the wing and used on the wing in Malmo makes it less likely for me that he's going to be a center too. But in Kulich terms, it would be nice to see him re-ignite his scoring down the stretch in the AHL with these last dozen games and maybe do some damage in the playoffs like he did last year.
I like the palat comparison palat with an elite shot would be amazing for any top 9
Fixed to Ruin
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Ace
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- Oct 29, 2015
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Today is his 20th birthday. Including playoffs he ended up scoring 100 points in the AHL as a teenager (while missing time twice to be a star on a Czech team that medaled both years at world juniors). He’s led his team in goals both years as a teenager.
Gabrielor
Registered User
Rochester has spent the whole year developing him at C specifically, and with playing a more defensive game in mind, and it's starting to show.
Also, still a goal-scoring machine.
Also, still a goal-scoring machine.
Beerz
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Gabrielor
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Love to see him back in form and sniping one after another again. Sadly this means his chances for Prague are thinning with every W lol.
CowbellConray
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He has this ability to be so so consistent with the skills he excells at. You know there are players that have ability but only execute properly every now and then (like Jeff Skinner for example). Then you have the guys who have the skills AND consistently execute (Kucherov).
Kulich consistently executes when he gets himself in the position to show off his skills. That will carry him a long way in the league.
If he can continue to refine his two way game, and match the speed of the NHL, he is a sure fire 30-30 player.
Kulich consistently executes when he gets himself in the position to show off his skills. That will carry him a long way in the league.
If he can continue to refine his two way game, and match the speed of the NHL, he is a sure fire 30-30 player.
Czechboy
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He got 100 AHL points as a teenager.lol That is very good and rare.
Looking very good so far. Does he get a shot to make the Sabres this season finally?
Czechboy
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He has 100 AHL points.. as a teenager... really not sure what more he can do in AHL.
Hard to say if he makes it as a center but maybe they slide him on the wing and then he becomes a center later....does that even sound like a good strategy?
Maybe an injury will give him an opportunity and if he produces then he stays but the sabers really altered their bottom 6 this year and man I just dunno if you want to being him up to toil on the 4th line.
this article basically outlines the logjam.
Camp Preview | Storylines to watch at forward | Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres added speed and physicality through veteran additions.
www.nhl.com
Czechboy
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Keep in mind, my views are from a Czech perspective and not the Sabre's perspective. Different agenda.Hard to say if he makes it as a center but maybe they slide him on the wing and then he becomes a center later....does that even sound like a good strategy?
Maybe an injury will give him an opportunity and if he produces then he stays but the sabers really altered their bottom 6 this year and man I just dunno if you want to being him up to toil on the 4th line.
this article basically outlines the logjam.
Camp Preview | Storylines to watch at forward | Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres added speed and physicality through veteran additions.
But when your first rounder is in the AHL and gets 100 points as a teenager. Their really isn't much left. I can't think of many 1C or 2C's that entered the NHL as a rookie 1C or 2C (Bedard last year would be an example). Maybe Jack Hughes and even he struggled. So this 'keep him in the AHL till he's a NHL 1C' is not a good strategy to me because you rarely see it.
There is such a thing as too much AHL for forwards.. you keep them their long enough and they become great AHL players and not NHL ones. Kulich needs to be skating with the big boys and going through his growing pains as he's proven he can score and skate in the AHL and that he's tops for his age group (based on international tourneys against his peers - several MVP, goal scoring and asg nominations).
Now where do you put him? No idea. But my Oilers recently had a similarly pedigreed first rounder in Holoway and he bolted on an offer sheet as we were constantly shuffling him between AHL and NHL and giving him healthy scratches and 8 minute nights.
I actually once started a thread on here of the best NHL forwards to play more than 100 AHL games - and it was a surprisingly short list of forwards (not D or G) that played 100 AHL games or more and then went onto prolific NHL careers. Plekanec, Benn, Marty St. Louis and maybe 20 more guys in history.
Thinline and hope the Sabres strike that balance.
Yes I agree although holloway had injury issues and did spend a year in college after being drafted so the 2 situations aren't exactly similar.
I do think that at some point either Kulich of Cozens moves to the wing as there is only so much top 6 center playing time available and Buffalo is taking a new approach on their bottom 6.
Most good players don't see much AHL time. He is a good player but if he can't make the Sabres roster this season nothing special. Now if inferior players make the Sabres and he doesn't he should request a trade.
I can already see the Habs propsosals for him eh?
That being said I'm not sure why the sabers signed Zucker to a 5 million 1 year contract when it kind of blocks Kulich.
The Sabers have too many pieces and that's not always a good thing.
