Buffalo Sabres 2024-25 Player Report Card: Jiri Kulich

By the middle part of the season, Kulich started to take on a bigger role. Toward season’s end, he even saw time at center while playing next to Zach Benson and Tage Thompson. The trio looked impressive as the Sabres gained momentum down the stretch.

Kulich would finish the campaign with 15 goals and 24 points; not earth-shattering, but nothing to sniff at for a young rookie having to start out at the bottom of the lineup. It is the kind of single-season growth trajectory that teams look for out of their young players.

Still Tremendous Room for Growth

The real question is where Kulich slots in going forward. With the move of Thompson to wing late in the season, Kulich showed that he can play at the top of the lineup adequately at center. More than likely, he is going to fall somewhere toward the third line, at least for the foreseeable future.

At just 21 years old, Kulich’s best days are ahead of him. He’s a very good skater with good speed. His hands and shot, however, will be his calling card. He has the kind of shot that can make him a 30-goal scorer at the NHL level.

There are plenty of things that Kulich has to work on, but those are typical of NHLers his age. If he has solid linemates consistently throughout the course of a season, it would not be surprising to see him push 25 goals in the near future.

Grading Kulich

Important note: the “leadership” portion of the grade has been dropped. It’s hard to gauge what kind of an impact a guy has without being in the dressing room, and not everyone plays a leadership role, especially 20-year-olds.

As is the case with most rookies, particularly those who are taken later in the first round, Kulich was inconsistent. Part of it had to do with starting the season battling for fourth-line time, eventually working his way further and further up the lineup.

Kulich’s grade would no doubt look substantially different if broken down by quarters. His first quarter grade would be nothing to write home about, but he finished the season on a solid note and displayed the talent that had Buffalo insiders so excited for his arrival.

In all, Kulich showed good speed and a dangerous shot. He showed good hustle and a willingness to play where he was asked. With more consistent linemates, he started to become more noticeable as the season wore on. The Sabres have a lot of priorities to focus on, but Kulich will be a fixture in the lineup for years to come.

2025-26 and Beyond

Kulich has continued his positive play, acting as a key contributor in the Rochester Americans’ deep run into the American Hockey League (AHL) playoffs. With Thompson’s potential full-time move to wing, there is potential for Kulich to slot in as the third-line center with Ryan McLeod moving into a 2C role.

Expectations will be critical for Kulich’s sophomore campaign. It is imperative that he continue on an upward trajectory; something in the neighborhood of 20 goals and 40 points would be a step in the right direction. That would be a win for the Sabres now and for the future.