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Jiri Kulich, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Sabres Have Too Many Options for Their First Line Center

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jacob D. Strozyk | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 4:40 PM ET

Even thinking about this idea, it can feel a bit outlandish, seeing as the Buffalo Sabres have struggled to find a true number-one center in recent years. Tage Thompson has taken up the mantle and had some success for a season or so, but with head coach Lindy Ruff moving him to the wing this past season, it looks like the position will not be held by him. Rather, a trio of candidates each took some time throughout the course of the 2024-25 season (some more limited than others) to play the top-line center role, and each had their own levels of success. The real question now is, which one is best suited for the job as the Sabres look to finally break their playoff drought?

The Top 3 Candidates

The three players who each took some time to play the role outside of Thompson were youngster Jiri Kulich, Josh Norris, and speedster Ryan McLeod. They each brought a different, but valuable skill set to the position, and had a decent level of success. McLeod mostly took over the role in times when Thompson was injure or otherwise out of the lineup, but when he was there, he did not look entirely out of place. On top of that, he finished the regular season with 20 goals and 53 points in his first season as a Sabre.

Then there was Kulich, who was the “young gun” shooter that managed to stay in the lineup each night, and eventually found his way to the top line. By the end of the season, he was a reliable faceoff man, a lethal shooter, and he was playing with a maturity that was beyond a rookie. His numbers were respectable at 15 goals and 24 points, and with a full season under his belt playing against some of the top players, he is definitely poised to be someone the league should be paying attention to.

Finally, there was Norris. The key piece that came back in the trade that sent Dylan Cozens to the Ottawa Senators did not play many games for the Sabres, but in the that he did, he put up a goal and an assist while having a 54% win rate in the dot. He was shut down by the team for injury reasons, but as he will be coming back fully healthy for the 2025-26 season, Norris is absolutely one of the better candidates to be vying for the top-line center position.

Which Center Is the Best Choice?

Each of them has merit to be the top-line center. McLeod is one of the Sabres’ most well-rounded players, as last season he was a defensive force that was also regularly an offensive threat. Kulich has the best shot on the Sabres roster outside of Thompson, and could easily be a killer one-two punch combo with him as far as scoring threats go. However, if Norris is fully recovered and ready to play without any hiccups, he is the best of both worlds between McLeod and Kulich. As the most balanced player of the trio, he technically has the edge. His injury history is concerning, though, so he would not end up being my top choice.

Oddly enough, the best choice for right now would have to be Kulich. He had a lot of success last season towards the end with Thompson, and they were really connecting as a pair on the ice. Not to mention, he was also really finding his own groove and shooting the puck more as he was gaining confidence against some of the NHL’s better goalies and defenders. Nothing short of a great save was going to stop him some nights, and it showed. Having the summer to prepare for this kind of role, and the expectation that he can fight for it again after having played it already, will only make him better, and Ruff should be inclined to give him that chance.

Where Does That Leave Norris and McLeod?

Hypothetically, should Kulich take and hold the number-one center position, this would leave Norris and McLeod vying for the second-line role. Norris and McLeod have played the wing before, so it is not out of the question to assume either one of them could end up as the other winger alongside Kulich and Thompson. That would leave the other to tend the second line with Alex Tuch, and whichever winger chosen for the final top-six spot amongst Zach Benson, Jason Zucker, and likely Jack Quinn.

While none of these candidates are ideal first-line centers compared to the rest of the league, the reality is that Ruff has to work with what he has. There is not a top-line center that is going to fall in his lap from free agency at this point, and the likelihood of any of their top center prospects suddenly becoming so amazing that they jump from the Rochester Americans to the big leagues is minimal. What they have at their disposal is a serviceable group with a lot of potential to work with. Kulich is really the one to watch, though, as he has the most exciting path.