Prospect Info: C/W Jiri Kulich, 28th Overall, 2022 NHL Draft; Recalled 11/15/2024

[SECRET SQUIRREL]

JP Dumont

 

[old kummelweck]

Any other prospects that come to mind when thinking of players that out played their draft position in such a little time?

Sabres were trying to trade-up to get him, as high as 17OA. I think draft position is out the window for the 2021 and 2022 draft classes.

 

[jc17]

Any other prospects that come to mind when thinking of players that out played their draft position in such a little time?

Maybe Kemell?

 

[Dingo44]

2022 World Juniors: Scott Wheeler's full Edmonton tournament notebook

Scott Wheeler evaluates how 107 prospects who played in this year's World Juniors (drafted and draft-eligible) fared.

theathletic.com

Jiri Kulich (Buffalo Sabres): Driving net. Played hard. Hands under triangles. Puck on a string at times. Skating noticeable off the puck in his ability to pursue and recapture possession to extend sequences. Familiar spot on the point on off-wing on PP. Ice tilted when he was out there more often than not. That slap shot of his is going toe a problem. Stays over pucks. Impressed by his game defensively/the way he supported play. Dynamite in the quarters with the chips on the table. One of Czechia’s best, no question. He’s a player.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

If Kulich does indeed play in the AHL next season I figured people might be interested in seeing how other 18 year olds have fared there over the years.

18-Year Old AHL Players - Regular Season Stats

 

[Dingo44]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres' future looks bright

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

8. Jiri Kulich, C/LW

18 years old | 5-foot-11 | 178 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 28 in 2022
Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Kulich is a well-rounded prospect. He has a fluid, powerful skating stride that can generate clean entries and beat defenders wide. He has slick one-on-one skills and combined with his speed is a threat off the rush. He can make plays but is more of a threat when he’s in motion than picking apart defenses as a playmaker. Kulich has a great shot, showing a one-timer and wrist shot threat from range. Kulich doesn’t show fear from attacking the net or taking a hit to make a play. He projects as a top-six forward whether at wing or center, but likely on the wing.

 

[old kummelweck]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres' future looks bright

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

Average NHL skating? OK.

 

[Dingo44]

Average NHL skating? OK.

Honestly Pronman is way too hard on skating. I'd love to see him on a pair of skates.

 

[RhinoFan]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres' future looks bright

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

I brought it up once, but I need someone to explain it to me like I'm 5...why a winger?

He seems defensively responsible, likes to get up and go (can cover 200 ft) and isn't a munchkin. Why are we moving him out of the middle already? I've heard he projects as a winger multiple times but don't see why. Help me understand!

 

[Diaspora]

I brought it up once, but I need someone to explain it to me like I'm 5...why a winger?

He seems defensively responsible, likes to get up and go (can cover 200 ft) and isn't a munchkin. Why are we moving him out of the middle already? I've heard he projects as a winger multiple times but don't see why. Help me understand!

I don't know any more than you do, but it seems the expectation is that the centerman is the driver for an offensive line. That is the typical case - there are play-making wingers, but more typically you expect centers on top lines to have the vision and play-making ability to distribute the puck to his linemates or point men to initiate scoring attempts. Pronman notes Kulich's play-making skills aren't as strong as other parts of his game.

And then there's the numbers game - a player has a better chance to stick on a wing than they do down the middle.

 

[Jim Bob]

I brought it up once, but I need someone to explain it to me like I'm 5...why a winger?

He seems defensively responsible, likes to get up and go (can cover 200 ft) and isn't a munchkin. Why are we moving him out of the middle already? I've heard he projects as a winger multiple times but don't see why. Help me understand!

When he was asked at the draft, he said that he liked playing on the wing better. So, that might be a piece of it...

 

[Jacob582]

It seems like the team hinted at leaning towards winger.

iirc Kris Baker stated he felt Kulich has the skills to be a center.

 

[Chainshot]

Black Book's scouting that Kulich was the lowest high-danger pass completer that they monitored is one of the reasons why wing, not center. He often establishes that he is the player to take the shot and when he's not, he's not shown the ability to make a lot of more dangerous plays in the offensive zone. That's more winger material and why he is talked about that way.

 

[Fjordy]

Black Book's scouting that Kulich was the lowest high-danger pass completer that they monitored is one of the reasons why wing, not center. He often establishes that he is the player to take the shot and when he's not, he's not shown the ability to make a lot of more dangerous plays in the offensive zone. That's more winger material and why he is talked about that way.

I think there are active centers in the NHL who like to shoot more.

 

[RhinoFan]

Thanks for all this guys n gals, didn't know the part about him saying he preferred the wing or the high danger pass percentage tracking, I can see how those may factor in heavily to wear he lines up in the pros. Appreciate the info!

 

[Chainshot]

I think there are active centers in the NHL who like to shoot more.

It isn't just the shooting, it's the lack of history of completing other high danger scoring plays too.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

There are certainly shoot first centers in the NHL. But if you're not good at passing it makes it much easier for teams to cheat against you and shut down your game. It's one thing to be a poor passer at the NHL level, and another to be a poor passer at a development level.

Being a poor developmental passer would put a lot of pressure on an NHL center, even one with otherwise robust tools.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I don't remember Quinnn being all that great of a passer in his D0 year, so maybe it's something the Sabres can develop in Kulich.

As far as Sabres comparissons, I still like the "Girgs + Kotalik" comparisson. Which will be a great player to have, if he pans out that way.

 

[Ace]

Again…hes a much much smarter player than either of those comparisons. High IQ Girgensons and high IQ Kotalik have very different careers

 

[Chainshot]

I don't remember Quinnn being all that great of a passer in his D0 year, so maybe it's something the Sabres can develop in Kulich.

As far as Sabres comparissons, I still like the "Girgs + Kotalik" comparisson. Which will be a great player to have, if he pans out that way.

Quinn got plenty of love for his ability to complete plays but also got even more because of his ability to finish - and being able to do so as the best option on many cases.

The Gus-Big Al combo could very well be a thing. I'm certainly intrigued by his stated desire to be in the show as soon as possible.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Quinn got plenty of love for his ability to complete plays but also got even more because of his ability to finish - and being able to do so as the best option on many cases.

The Gus-Big Al combo could very well be a thing. I'm certainly intrigued by his stated desire to be in the show as soon as possible.

He had a passing completion percentage of 65.93% in his draft year, which doesn't seem to be much to fall in love with...I generally don't remember scouts or analysts commenting much on his passing either way.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Have we heard anything recently from the Sabres about where he'll play next season?

This Elite Prospects entry was pointed out to me on Kulich's Prospect board page. EP has the same "Loan" tag for Ostlund. Is EP's "Loan" designation reliable or just a placeholder while awaiting an announcement from a player's NHL team?

 

[KrakenSabresMike]

Have we heard anything recently from the Sabres about where he'll play next season?

This Elite Prospects entry was pointed out to me on Kulich's Prospect board page. EP has the same "Loan" tag for Ostlund. Is EP's "Loan" designation reliable or just a placeholder while awaiting an announcement from a player's NHL team?

View attachment 579750

Per Seth Appert…Rochester

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Have we heard anything recently from the Sabres about where he'll play next season?

This Elite Prospects entry was pointed out to me on Kulich's Prospect board page. EP has the same "Loan" tag for Ostlund. Is EP's "Loan" designation reliable or just a placeholder while awaiting an announcement from a player's NHL team?

View attachment 579750

That's been like that since the draft, I believe I had even mentioned it at one point back in July in this thread

 

[Fly Boy]

Have we heard anything recently from the Sabres about where he'll play next season?

This Elite Prospects entry was pointed out to me on Kulich's Prospect board page. EP has the same "Loan" tag for Ostlund. Is EP's "Loan" designation reliable or just a placeholder while awaiting an announcement from a player's NHL team?

View attachment 579750

Go farther down to look at the Transactions part. The one there is his Czechia team to the Sabres. If the Sabres had officially loaned him back it would have been listed their too. This is just EP guessing where he'll play next year. It's not official at all.