C Jiri Kulich - Rochester Americans, AHL (2022, 28th, BUF)

[martygod12]

While I would love it if he starts popping off, I would caution that this bolded statement about them scoring "a lot of goals" is not what is happening for the team. They have scored only 13 goals in the 6 games since his most recent recall and he has one of them, the OT winner in LA. That's 4th worst goals per game in the NHL in that span of time. It's not like they are running up a lot as their middle 6 has been either slumping (Quinn, 1 goal and that an ENG for the year) or returning to their norms (McLeod after a hot start) or just struggling (Cozens) or flat out of the lineup (Thompson).

He's getting chances around the net. He isn't on PP1 (which is a different conversation, it would warrant a shot no pun intended for him to be up on that unit). His forehand linemate is struggling to finish (Quinn) but has had a handful of good games with Kulich as his center compared to the rest of his campaign.

I would love it if everything started to work for him and the points started to fall for him like they are for other league leaders. That would be great. Just don't fold in some league worst scoring during this recall with him necessarily being the reason for it. It goes way beyond him.

I meant overall their scoring is not the best, but also not worst. Still out of 13 goals he got 1, not even 1 assist added to that.

I would so much love for him to start piling up, but its just not happening for some reason. Facts are facts. and the fact is he is right now 41 among rookie scoring leaders, which just suck for a prospect with his skills.

Btw another czech prospect Ivan Ivan who just came out of nowhere this year is 10th with 8points in Colorado, which is around the same level as for points and goals scored as Buffalo this year so far. Sure he has couple more games played but still.

Kulich should have had at least 6-7points by now. I so much hope and wish he can burst trough this and start to pile up points, I am waiting and waiting every night, but the games are just piling up and the points are still nowhere to be found.

He may play all great he wants, but in the end, if you want to be a top6 forward in NHL, you just need to produce, thats another fact.

 

[Czechboy]

I think Buffalo got shutout back to back games. Ouch. Not good for anyone's stats.

 

[Chainshot]

I think Buffalo got shutout back to back games. Ouch. Not good for anyone's stats.

Goals per game dropping like a stone, just 3 goals scored in three games (all against Vancouver). They got blanked by Minnesota and played well, blanked by the Islanders and played like crap. They're still too young.

 

[Czechboy]

Goals per game dropping like a stone, just 3 goals scored in three games (all against Vancouver). They got blanked by Minnesota and played well, blanked by the Islanders and played like crap. They're still too young.

The highs and lows of a Sabre fan really reminds me of being a Czech or Oiler fan.lol

 

[KaraLupin]

They've shifted him to wing?

 

[Czechboy]

They've shifted him to wing?

Would appear so. McLeod is a beaut. They should be able to tilt ice all night. Solid pain in the ass third line to be honest.

 

[KaraLupin]

Would appear so. McLeod is a beaut. They should be able to tilt ice all night. Solid pain in the ass third line to be honest.

Yes that looks like a great third line, they should be able to rack some points up, let's see!

 

[Wooren]

Casually on pace for 10 points. And how do you even go 15 games in row without an assist while getting top 9 and PP time? lol

Forever a WJC legend for the Czechs though and I am sure he will be quite the player for Pardubice.

 

[martygod12]

Casually on pace for 10 points. And how do you even go 15 games in row without an assist while getting top 9 and PP time? lol

Forever a WJC legend for the Czechs though and I am sure he will be quite the player for Pardubice.

I hope he will be far from that. I still believe he will be a top 6 forward in NHL..

But you are right, with the amount of minutes he gets, his points production is alarming. More so, considering how he is allegedly getting praised from left to right for playing really good.

Hope he will tore through that slump soon and the points start to pile up. As I wrote earlier, 41 in rookie points standings right now, he should be somewhere around 10th place at worst, with at lesat 0.4 ppg.

 

[Fjordy]

Casually on pace for 10 points. And how do you even go 15 games in row without an assist while getting top 9 and PP time? lol

Forever a WJC legend for the Czechs though and I am sure he will be quite the player for Pardubice.

I hope he will be far from that. I still believe he will be a top 6 forward in NHL..

But you are right, with the amount of minutes he gets, his points production is alarming. More so, considering how he is allegedly getting praised from left to right for playing really good.

Hope he will tore through that slump soon and the points start to pile up. As I wrote earlier, 41 in rookie points standings right now, he should be somewhere around 10th place at worst, with at lesat 0.4 ppg.

Guys, he didn't look bad, but we have serious problems offensively right now to put the damn puck in the net. If players like Thompson and Peterka can't score and get points, then Kulich is getting less time anyway, and also he's not playing as much at the PP, he's not at PP1, and overall our PP sucks again.

 

[Forsbergaura21]

Casually on pace for 10 points. And how do you even go 15 games in row without an assist while getting top 9 and PP time? lol

Forever a WJC legend for the Czechs though and I am sure he will be quite the player for Pardubice.

How did Nichushkin go a full 50+ game season without a goal?!

Kulich will be fine

 

[martygod12]

4 goals, Kulich again nothing

Every morning when I check the scores I am full of optimism that this will be the game where he bursts out.

But somehow still not happening

 

[Intangir]

4 goals, Kulich again nothing

Every morning when I check the scores I am full of optimism that this will be the game where he bursts out.

But somehow still not happening

I've watched a couple Sabres' games this season in which Kulich played, and he was more than fine in all of them.

He made things happen on the ice, battled hard on the boards for a smaller guy, and was generally good for puck-possession despite not being amazing defensively. I also thought that Kulich had quite a few chances to produce but somehow none went in in the games that I watched.

In short, Jiri Kulich definitely passed the "eye test" for me at the NHL level and as long as that is the case and he isn't getting crazy-good deployment, which would definitely warrant more production than he is currently giving, then it's not really that big a deal if he struggles to produce points as a rookie in the NHL.