Entering the 2025-26 season, Jiri Kulich was expected to be a big part of this Buffalo Sabres team and was competing with Josh Norris in training camp for the center spot on the top line. Unfortunately, Kulich's season was cut short after only 12 games when it was found he had a blood clot.
During the end-of-season press conference, Jiri Kulich provided an amazing update that he had a procedure done to address the blood clot and can continue his NHL career next season.
"I went through a procedure two months ago, and they took the whole clot out, and now I'm just excited to be working hard again, and be on the ice too. So I'll be able to play hockey again," Kulich said.
Jiri Kulich's return gives the Buffalo Sabres options with their Top 6 in the 2026-27 season
Kulich's health is obviously the top priority, and now that it sounds like this is past him, he has a chance to make a difference for the Buffalo Sabres next season. He had an incredible finish to the 2024-25 season in what was his first full-season at the NHL level and had 15 points in the final 30 games.
By the end of the season, Kulich was centering the top line with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. During Lindy Ruff's press conference, he was asked about what Kulich might bring next season and specifically mentioned this stretch to validate what he can do for this team.
"The same thing I looked at a year ago when we finsihed the last like 20 games and he was the number once center playing against every top line," Ruff said. "He was on a line with Benson and Thompson and we went 11-6-2 and it just told me this guy can play againt anybody."
Even if this season, while it is a small sample size, Kulich showed growth in his game as he had five points in his first nine games of the season.
While it isn't a guarantee that he will return to being the center on the top line, his return certainly gives Lindy Ruff and the Sabres options with how they set up their Top 6. They certainly have the big looming question of whether or not Alex Tuch is back, but if he isn't, the Sabres can move Thompson to the wing to fill that void with Kulich and Josh Norris being their top two centers.
In a week that the Sabres saw an incredible season come to an end in Game 7 against the Canadiens, this was a great piece of good news and one of the reasons fans should be excited for next season.
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