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

[HogtownSabresfan]

That is literally what happens across the NHL. 2nd & 3rd round picks are not guarantees to be solid NHLers.

In the 2014 Draft, 9 out of 30 2nd round picks have played 200+ NHL games. 12 picks have played 0 NHL games. In the 3rd round, it is 4 picks with 200+ games played (and 2 goalies with 190+) and 14 picks with 0 NHL games played.

A 2nd or 3rd round pick is roughly 50/50 to play 0 NHL games or 200+ NHL games and more likely to play less than 200 NHL games than 200+ NHL games.

Yes, we need to hit on some of these. Be on the right side, or call it the lucky side. Maybe more than the average team if I believe the thesis that players won't come to Buffalo. (I don't)

Peterk was a huge, huge get at 34. Massive. Traded to move. If it's all GMKA there, bravo. or whatever scout. You just cannot say enough about that move and how good it looks.

Great teams pull a Braydon Point in the third round and win cups. In the last decade, Oloffson has been our best-value non-first-rounder. UPL may pass him by a country mile soon. But you have to pull a rabbit out of the hat in the draft

If you see one or two guys showing value from beyond first or a 28th overall, like Kulich becoming a top six, that's when the Sabres will really be turned around.

I'm not saying we've missed in the last 3-4 fours, but we really need someone to emerge. Maybe it's Walberg? Maybe who knows but you have to find gold in draft.

Go back in Sabres history, and you see a team that found talent who played in the NHL beyond the first round. Sneer at Clarke McArthur, but he was good in the NHL in the third. Sekera at #71 overall, brilliant. Pominvile at 52? Even Kotalik. I get his career was average, but for a 6th-round pick, mind-boggling value.

If we start finding that value, and I'm not saying we haven't, then everything changes in Buffalo. That is what Adams is selling. He has to start delivering this year—not a lot, but something. And more next.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

View attachment 908517

We need guys like Kulich to emerge. They key to long-term success is drafting. And it's not just talk. It is seeing quality NHL minutes this year and coming year. Even more important with the self-imposed cap we clearly have.

 

[Chainshot]

Lance doing some work -

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841165420944113728

Duda, his skills coach this summer, seems to get it:

“He was mad,” Duda said. “I said, ‘Jiri, don’t be mad. Every player makes their biggest development when it doesn’t go the way he wants it to go. It makes you better as a person and hockey player. You have to understand the life rules and hockey rules. If you want to be better, you have to understand how North American hockey goes. No one just gives you a spot in the top six. You have to fight, and if you want to fight, tell me: How many goals did you score in front of the net and on second or third chances?’ I didn’t see enough.”

Duda continued: “'Everybody knows you’ve got a perfect shot. You’ve got a one-timer shot and a perfect wrist shot, but you don’t have a game (in front of the net) where 62% of the goals are scored.'”

Loved the bit about how Dahlin included him in the training invite for the camp they had in Switzerland.

Thompson's quotes on how impressed he is with how Kulich is playing and how it will push everyone also good things to hear.

 

[Jimmybarndoor2]

Lance doing some work -

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841165420944113728

Duda, his skills coach this summer, seems to get it:





Loved the bit about how Dahlin included him in the training invite for the camp they had in Switzerland.

Thompson's quotes on how impressed he is with how Kulich is playing and how it will push everyone also good things to hear.

Also love the shift for prospects to earn their callup

 

[Ehran]

Gah.. paywalls.

 

[Chainshot]

Gah.. paywalls.

Yeah, takes time to get around.

 

[Jacob582]

I'm in the Kulich should go to Rochester crowd.

But I'm really happy for him that he gets to play today.

 

[Chainshot]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1853898108603916582

 

[TheMistyStranger]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1853898108603916582

Been waiting for that. Good for him. Go back with what you know now and dominate, kid

 

[Zman5778]

Been waiting for that. Good for him. Go back with what you know now and dominate, kid

Yep. Dominate in the AHL and then when you come back up, you don't go back down. He NEARLY forced his way on the roster......but didn't quite get there.

 

[HaNotsri]

Yep. Dominate in the AHL and then when you come back up, you don't go back down. He NEARLY forced his way on the roster......but didn't quite get there.

Part of that is not having a functional line for him. Hopefully he forces his way back solner rather than later.

 

[TageGod]

Part of that is not having a functional line for him. Hopefully he forces his way back solner rather than later.

This means Quinn and Benson suck this year. Kulich being stuck down there outside of an injury would be good news.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854357972740100501

 

[RhinosLastFan]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854357972740100501

Worried that him and Rosen are too good for the AHL but still not good enough to hold jobs on the big club. Going to be a big offseason for the two of them. Kulich gives me a lot of hope based on his play. 9pts in 8gp for Rosen should as well, but we'll see if his game translates. Didn't last call up anyways.

 

[Jim Bob]

Worried that him and Rosen are too good for the AHL but still not good enough to hold jobs on the big club. Going to be a big offseason for the two of them. Kulich gives me a lot of hope based on his play. 9pts in 8gp for Rosen should as well, but we'll see if his game translates. Didn't last call up anyways.

That wouldn't be a worry for me. Overcooking guys in the AHL isn't really a thing.

 

[Chainshot]

Haven’t seen either one dominate at that level so no, it doesn’t seem like they are too good for the AHL.

 

[DapperCam]

Yep. Dominate in the AHL and then when you come back up, you don't go back down. He NEARLY forced his way on the roster......but didn't quite get there.

Only because he’s waiver-eligible and players like Quinn and Krebs aren’t. Not due to performance in a vacuum.

 

[Chainshot]

He's back up -

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Maybe he is a center ? Looked good most of the night in LA.

 

[Fjordy]

Maybe he is a center ? Looked good most of the night in LA.

Why not, considering he played a lot of games at center in Rochester.

 

[Zman5778]

Maybe he is a center ? Looked good most of the night in LA.

Small sample size. He's had stretches in Rochester where he's looked great and center......and stretches where he's completely lost.

I still think he ends up as a winger long-term who can maybe moonlight at center for a spell and look passable enough. But I'd be quite happy to be proven wrong.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Small sample size. He's had stretches in Rochester where he's looked great and center......and stretches where he's completely lost.

I still think he ends up as a winger long-term who can maybe moonlight at center for a spell and look passable enough. But I'd be quite happy to be proven wrong.

I'd be happy to seem him score some goals from anywhere.

 

[Zman5778]

I'd be happy to seem him score some goals from anywhere.

He's getting chances. Goals will follow.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

He's getting chances. Goals will follow.

He didn’t really get chances though…certainly nothing that tells us why he’s been an untouchable prospect for since he was drafted.

Played under ten minutes and had 2 shots. The coach doesn’t trust him and he hasn’t made a single play in the NHL yet that makes me think he’ll be anything special. Hopefully something clicks soon.