Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff tried to send a message to Jiri Kulich by demoting him to the "fifth line" in a recent practice. That's usually reserved for players who will be scratched the next game, but in Kulich's case it was simply an attempted wake-up call.
The 21-year-old center proceeded to score an empty-net goal in Wednesday night's 8-4 triumph over the Ottawa Senators, but his 5-on-5 contributions remained lackluster. It's a troublesome trend for a player the Sabres were betting on to take a significant step forward this season.
Buffalo is off to a 1-3-0 start to the campaign and, since its margin for error was already small before any games were played, lineup changes are likely coming if the struggles continue. Players returning from injury will factor into the equation, too.
Buffalo Sabres who could be scratched soon if their performance doesn't improve
Jiri Kulich
Kulich put together some intriguing stretches as a rookie last season, but his overall numbers were modest at best. He recorded 24 points (15 goals and nine assists) across 62 appearances, which included ample top-six minutes during the latter stages of the campaign.
His production to open this season is a concern. He's tallied no points aside from the empty-netter, he's winning just 36.2% of his faceoffs and he sports a minus-six rating. His inability to get to the most dangerous areas of the ice is hampering his ability to score.
The problem is amplified by the injury to No. 1 center Josh Norris, who's expected to miss at least eight weeks. Typically, Kulich would be in the conversation as a long-term solution, but his poor play led Buffalo to shift Tage Thompson back to center instead.
If the 2022 first-round pick doesn't elevate his level of play soon, the Sabres will have to consider calling up another top center prospect, likely Konsta Helenius or Noah Ostlund, to spark the offense.
Beck Malenstyn
Last year, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams acquired Malenstyn, Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Sam Lafferty in an attempt to overhaul the team's fourth line. Aube-Kubel and Lafferty are already gone, and Malenstyn may be running out of chances in Buffalo, too.
The 27-year-old former Washington Capitals winger has posted just 10 points in 80 games since joining the Blue and Gold. Yes, he's dished out 201 hits, which is part of the reason he was acquired, but he's brought pretty much nothing else to the table.
Buffalo has no shortage of other options for the fourth-line wings, led by Justin Danforth, Josh Dunne, Tyson Kozak and a soon-to-return Jordan Greenway. It'll soon become a numbers game where a few players will have to get demoted, and Malenstyn hasn't made a strong case to stay.
Giving up a second-round draft pick for him ranks as one of Adams' biggest mistakes as GM.
Jacob Bryson
Bryson is entering Year 30 — OK, it's only Year 6, but it feels a lot longer — as the Sabres' No. 7 defenseman and he's never looked capable of handling a full-time NHL role.
The first goal the club allowed this season was Bryson getting outmuscled by New York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere at the side of the net. The defender's lack of size (5'9'', 177 pounds) has been a common problem throughout his time with the organization.
Buffalo already started to shake up its blue line by calling up Zach Metsa from the AHL's Rochester Americans and sending Ryan Johnson down to the Amerks. More changes are coming once Mattias Samuelsson and Michael Kesselring return from injuries.
Bryson will likely find himself as the odd man out unless his performance significantly improves within the next handful of games.