Oct. 15: The message has evidently been received for Kulich, who will be in the lineup tonight after all, Ruff told reporters this morning. “If you really want to know, he’s playing,” Ruff told Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News. “I want to see his response tonight.”
Oct. 14: In yet another brutal start for the Buffalo Sabres, who are 0-3, young forward Jiri Kulich has caught blame from Head Coach Lindy Ruff and could be scratched, as mentioned by the Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe earlier today.
The 21-year-old forward has had a rough go of it so far this season, with no points in three games and a -4 rating. As Ruff told Hoppe, Kulich “hasn’t been good enough”, noting that his skating has not been at the level it was last year. In practice today, Kulich was seen with Jordan Greenway and Mason Geertsen. As Hoppe wrote, it is not exactly a promising sign for the youngster in advance of tomorrow’s game vs Ottawa.
Despite the struggles and dissatisfaction from his coach, Kulich has not played less than 16 minutes a night so far in each of the club’s games. Although sheltering a young former first-round pick who doesn’t appear ready is not necessarily the wrong move, Ruff’s comments are interesting, throwing such blame at Kulich when the team has scored just two goals all season. Thankfully, Zach Benson is expected back tomorrow; however, with Josh Norris out long-term, it has been a terrible start for the Sabres. With the Senators set to move forward without their injured star captain Brady Tkachuk, tomorrow’s game will be a huge opportunity for Buffalo to finally get into the win column.
Many eyes will turn to stars such as Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin to lead Buffalo out of the hole they find themselves in, but unfortunately, without Norris, it will be an uphill battle. If they prove unable to do so, at some point, it may be time to look at the team’s deeper issues than a player such as Kulich’s performance, and major changes could be on the horizon.
Adams, And Ruff are a disaster, Both are management losers, And always have been, It’s time to stop blaming the players in Buffalo, It’s management, And ownership!!!
I don’t see Adams in skates or Ruff. At some point,yes, it is the players fault.
Ruff’s lines suck.
Not saying they don’t but…Adam’s roster sucks.
This is all on Adams and his roster construction! Dealing out offense with none back is bad. Dealing for an often injured player with someone of offensive value is also bad. Outsourcing offense with not an inkling of defensive gain is HORRIBLE ASSET MANAGMENT! Having Bryson on this roster AGAIN THIS YEAR is horrible. Power’s talent was miscalculated. Samuelson still on this roster and given an extension is clearly poor judgment. Managers get fired for less yet somehow this clown still has a job! Besides blackmail, there is no other explanation why he is still employed UNLESS ownership his misguided trust and lack of caring for the actual product he produces! Teams have righted the ship before by making wholesale changes early. It’s not too late yet! But keep going and it will be and this team is as good as gone!
Buffalo vs MN sports fans. Who has it worse?
The two constants are ownership and sustained futility.
Players contributions come and go for all kinds of reasons. (Include time-off for on-the-job injuries here as well as the impact of playing at less than 100% for any length of time.) What doesn’t come and go is character, the consistent will to win. That fire is lacking on this roster. Responsibility for creating that atmosphere has to fall at the GM’s feet, and, to some extent, the coaching staff’s.
If it was my money, Losing is not a skill I would want my management team to be as good at as this group has proven to be.
Change is required.
Overdue, really.
.
Just catching this thread today but am I the only one that finds it odd to pile on to a 21 year old player like this? Haven’t watched a minute of them this year but even if he’s dogging it don’t you have that chat privately? Given it’s 3 games into the year. This public discourse seems wildly unhelpful. As if Buffalo needs more issues.
Public criticism is one more tool in any coach’s toolkit, Ruff will use it on some, not use it on others. He must think this will be the best avenue for this particular player, but I agree that (without the benefit of being in the locker room) it seems harsh.
Scratch Kulich
Give the past a slip
Step on a Crack
Break your mama’s back
I would unload Thompson,He isn’t scoring.Not great defensively.If you can get winning players for him.I say do it.Owners hate to pay for people not with the team.Firing Adams and Ruff would me dead money.If Peterka was a good 2 way player they wouldn’t have gotten rid of him.Unfortunately, none of them seem to be.Can’t stop goals,can’t score goals.Where are all the talented players this team is supposed to have.You know,the untouchable trade pieces.
They have supposedly a ton of talent in their farm teams.Bring them up and try to change the culture.Daulin as Captain sure isn’t doing it.