Jiri Kulich didn’t put up the most impressive numbers, but his play was solid, considering it was his first time seeing extended play on NHL ice. While his numbers weren’t much different from Zach Benson’s, Kulich nevertheless had the more encouraging season.
While Benson was expected but failed to improve, Kulich showed off his NHL-ready shot, proving it was every bit as accurate as it was during his time in the AHL. He also impressed enough to play between 14 and 15 minutes per game, and a top-six rule at some point next season isn’t out of the question.
Grade: B-minus - Jiri Kulich finished the season with 15 goals and 62 games, indicating a 20-goal season wouldn’t have been out of reach if he were around for all 82 games. He also wasn’t bad on face-offs for being such a young player. The only real knock is that he ended the year with a paltry nine assists, so playmaking was an issue this past season.
Jiri Kulich set the stage in 2024-25 for an even bigger 2025-26
Jiri Kulich finished the 2024-25 season with 24 points, 15 goals, nine assists, an 11.2 shooting percentage, and 14:48 of average total ice time. He was a fearless shooter, notching 134 shots on goal, good for over two per game, and he showed aptitude in the face-off circle, winning 45.5 percent of his draws and 254 total.
While that latter number doesn’t look encouraging, let’s remember that Kulich was a rookie this past season, and that we’ve seen other youngsters like Peyton Krebs improve this part of their game over time. There’s a good chance that Kulich will end up doing the same.
Kulich showed some edge defensively, but he could have done more, registering 40 body checks and 36 blocks. Still, he showed potential for sacrificing the body, and that’s something he needs to keep working toward if he’d like to develop a true, two-way game.
So, while none of the above numbers were incredible, he played just well enough to at least believe general manager Kevyn Adams didn’t regret picking him a few years back. Still, next season will demand better play if Kulich is going to be anything more than a middle-six player.
It’s okay to be optimistic for the 2025-26 season
If Jiri Kulich ends the season with 20-25 goals and 15-20 assists, it’s an improvement. No, 45 points isn’t a high ceiling, but what if someone like Zach Benson put up that much this past year? The Sabres probably would’ve outscored some of their more formidable opponents and would’ve at least looked more respectable.
That said, Kulich increasing his points total by even 11 points at the low end will cause some damage. If he gets up to the 40-45-point range, the Blue and Gold will benefit as a unit. And if he got there, it would be rather unsurprising, considering the potential he showed this season.