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

[MarkusKetterer]

He played against Ivan Ivan the other night in a Q game.

They’re no Doug E. Doug, though

 

[RhinoFan]

Craig Button compared him to Patrik Elias.

I had heard Palat and seemed fair, but if he's even a fraction of Elias this will be one of the better picks we've made as a franchise.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Hat trick vs Austria. He is going to be a pastrnak-level steal for Buffalo. What a shot.

 

[The Blunder Years]

Levi and Kulich for Reinhart. I know it’s still early but the Eichel, Reinhart, and Risto trades are panning out so well. We walked away with Tuch, Krebs, Ostlund, Levi, Kulich, Rosen, and are still waiting to draft or trade the two seconds. Potentially turns into 6+ key roster players for three guys that were kind of on their way out anyways.

 

[The Red Helmet]

Jiri "just too" Kulich.​

 

[Matt Ress]

Levi and Kulich for Reinhart. I know it’s still early but the Eichel, Reinhart, and Risto trades are panning out so well. We walked away with Tuch, Krebs, Ostlund, Levi, Kulich, Rosen, and are still waiting to draft or trade the two seconds. Potentially turns into 6+ key roster players for three guys that were kind of on their way out anyways.

Magic beans they said. 4 quarters for a dollar they said...

 

[TageGod]

Magic beans they said. 4 quarters for a dollar they said...

Trending well, but at this point Tuch is the only one not a magic bean.

 

[Matt Ress]

Trending well, but at this point Tuch is the only one not a magic bean.

Let's see some more positivity for your 10th post you're right but the stalks are sprouting

 

[TageGod]

Let's see some more positivity for your 10th post you're right but the stalks are sprouting

lol, I am very optimistic actually.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Let's see some more positivity for your 10th post you're right but the stalks are sprouting

Positivity and the Sabres? Are you drunk? We don’t do that here!

 

[Dirty Dog]

Trending well, but at this point Tuch is the only one not a magic bean.

Well, if one of the players you got is a PPG player, and the other is in the NHL with 3 points in his last five, I think all magic-beans talk can stop!

I think the cut-off is two NHLs to get past the beans!

 

[TageGod]

Well, if one of the players you got is a PPG player, and the other is in the NHL with 3 points in his last five, I think all magic-beans talk can stop!

I think the cut-off is two NHLs to get past the beans!

If you mean Krebs, He has more phantom passes to no one than he has positive plays all year so far.

 

[Gabrielor]

If you mean Krebs, He has more phantom passes to no one than he has positive plays all year so far.

Nonsense.

 

[Dirty Dog]

If you mean Krebs, He has more phantom passes to no one than he has positive plays all year so far.

Ahhhhh, ok. I see you!

 

[NotABadPeriod]

Positivity and the Sabres? Are you drunk? We don’t do that here!

Oh we do plenty of drinking in here...

 

[dortt]

Trending well, but at this point Tuch is the only one not a magic bean.

making room for Tage to become the number 1 center outweighs everything else from the trades

 

[Matt Ress]

If you mean Krebs, He has more phantom passes to no one than he has positive plays all year so far.

I've been pretty tough on Krebs but he has looked night and day from the season start. Let's see if he can keep up the good work even if the stats slow down.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Was big on the Kulich pick, (although would have picked Snuggerud over him). Currently I have him as the Sabres top prospect.

Does everything you want out of a pro winger and has the speed to make the transition to NHL from AHL. Very few teens play AHL hockey with his level of success; and he’s not doing it on a sheltered line with vets.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Was big on the Kulich pick, (although would have picked Snuggerud over him). Currently I have him as the Sabres top prospect.

Does everything you want out of a pro winger and has the speed to make the transition to NHL from AHL. Very few teens play AHL hockey with his level of success; and he’s not doing it on a sheltered line with vets.

Every time I have watched Kulich I have come away very impressed. Prospect game, training camp, Rochester games. He's very legit. I don't know what his ceiling is but I would be surprised if he doesn't become a solid NHLer.

 

[DustyZ]

It's nice to actually have a larger forward in our system.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

It's nice to actually have a larger forward in our system.

? He's smaller than average.

 

[Zman5778]

It's nice to actually have a larger forward in our system.

? He's smaller than average.

He's 5-11, 170.........which is more or less average today. Maybe ever-so-slightly smaller.

Once he fills out and stops growing, he'll more than likely be average.

 

[Bendium]

? He's smaller than average.

Average's in NHL:

Position	Age	Height	Weight
Forward	27.3	72.7 (6'0.7")	196.9
Defence	27.7	73.7 (6'1.7")	202.3
Goalie	29.5	74.5 (6'2.5")	200.1

I see three size listings for Jiri.

5'11" - 171 lbs
5'11" - 172 lbs
6'0" - 179 lbs

At 18 years old he is still growing and could add another inch and 10-20 lbs. I would rate him as average forward size. Still better than the band of little people we have been drafting.

 

[DustyZ]

? He's smaller than average.

I guess I meant bigger than Ostlund, Savoie, Rosen.

Personally, I think big and fast trumps small and fast most of the time.

Plus we seem to get beat up a lot by other playoff caliber teams. Krebs gets thrown around like a rag doll out there. Granted, we didn't draft him.

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

I guess I meant bigger than Ostlund, Savoie, Rosen.

Personally, I think big and fast trumps small and fast most of the time.

Plus we seem to get beat up a lot by other playoff caliber teams. Krebs gets thrown around like a rag doll out there. Granted, we didn't draft him.

You have plenty of guys who can be physical and/or handle physicality while being considered undersized. Motte, Konecny, Marchand, Debrincat, Lomberg, Jarvis, Trocheck, Cizikas, and many others have not been held back in their various roles. Some of that is just experience and adding their man strength. Krebs just needs to get stronger and he'll be perfectly fine.

I just do not understand the size obsession some still have. Sure size can help a player overcome some things in the NHL, but it will not improve their skill, or ability to produce when they need to. It may make a stay at home Dman better by giving them more size to close gaps or block shooting lanes, or a power forward harder to handle down low, but it's not going to make them a smarter player or a more skilled player. Getting both in the same package is not easy, and in todays NHL skill is what matters. Just look at good ol Ristolainen, all the physical tools and no brain.