Buffalo Sabres’ prospect Jiri Kulich has played himself into a decent situation heading into training camp after dominating the Buffalo Prospect Showcase. Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff argued earlier today that Buffalo must get Kulich to the NHL as soon as possible for him and the team to flourish.
Kulich was drafted by the Sabres organization with the 28th pick of the 2022 NHL Draft and has transitioned well in the AHL with 51 goals and 91 points through his first 119 regular season contests. Buffalo had a genuine logjam of forward prospects looking to make their way to the NHL level but the team’s trade of prospect Matthew Savoie this summer paved the way for Kulich to make the opening night lineup.
He can play at all three forward positions and has elevated his play away from the puck with one scout saying, “But now you’re seeing the intensity away from the puck, too. It’s a work in progress but he has come a long way in making himself more rounded“. It’s difficult to see where exactly Kulich fits into the opening night roster for the Sabres Still, a strong showing at camp could allow Kulich to wrestle away ice time from anyone currently pencilled in the team’s bottom six.
Other Atlantic notes:
- If you ask Scott Wheeler and Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, the Sabres got the steal of the draft in 2022 (Subscription Article). Defenseman Vsevolod Komarov was a relatively unknown commodity after scoring two goals and 19 points in 60 games with the QMJHL’s Québec Remparts during his draft year. He helped the Remparts to a Memorial Cup championship in 2023 but became another player entirely after being traded to the Drummondville Voltigeurs last year. Komarov exploded for 11 goals and 50 points in 38 games for the Voltigeurs while adding another five goals and 15 points in 19 postseason contests. The 2023-24 QMJHL Defenseman of the Year and Playoff MVP is expected to join the AHL’s Rochester Americans this season with plenty of excitement around him.
- The Detroit Red Wings are eager to see how the ninth overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, Nate Danielson, responds to more pressure at this year’s training camp says Max Bultman of The Athletic (Subscription Article). Danielson played well in training camp last year but was assuredly headed back to the junior level no matter how well he played. Bultman asked assistant director of player development, Daniel Cleary, where he thought Danielson would end up this year to which he responded, “I have inner thoughts that I don’t want to say out loud. But not a lot would surprise me, for Nate“. He’s showing more offensive talent than previously expected finishing last year’s WHL playoffs with seven goals and 24 points in only 18 games.
Maybe you should explain again how the trading of Matthew Savioe paved an easier path for Kulich to gain a spot in Buffalo this fall?
He might get that spot – but Savoie (who wasn’t in Buffalo last yr) was traded for a center, who isn’t old, that has been in Edm the last 2-3 yrs.
The Sabres open the season in Prague. That’s Kulich’s hometown. The Sabres can carry extra players (I believe up to 6) for the Euro games. With his added weight, Júri will start the season with Buffalo; he’d have to have a very bad preseason to fail to make it.
Getting him back down to Rochester later could be tricky since – I believe – he’s no longer waiver exempt.
I know Jiri’s first name; that was an auto-spell distortion of what I wrote.
Assistant general manager Jerry Forton may be the most under appreciated person in the NHL. The Sabres have done a masterful job of drafting over the past few years and Forton is primarily responsible for that.
Getting Komarov in the 5th round will have future re-drafters shaking their heads in disbelief. But, there are several other examples of Forton’s savvy. D. Levi was not drafted by the Sabres, but give him credit for identifying this former 7th round pick as having NHL ability. There’s more, but you get the idea.