With the Buffalo Sabres expected to lose up to four players to free agency before 2024-25, the team has some holes to fill. While the blue and gold can replace some of these departing athletes through new free agent signings, the Sabres might also address their roster needs by shifting players from their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, to Buffalo.
Here are three Amerks the Sabres could bring up to the NHL next season.
Jiri Kulich, C
The Czech forward had a solid season in Rochester, enjoying a 27-18-45 record in 57 games. Kulich thought he’d be playing with the Sabres this past year, but the team’s managers felt he wasn’t ready and assigned him to the AHL. The center proved he has scoring ability, racking up an impressive 45 points.
He didn’t do so well in the postseason, not getting a goal in the Amerks’ playoff series loss to the Syracuse Crunch. However, his overall numbers are excellent and as some observers have pointed out, Sabres winger Jack Quinn suffered a similar setback in the 2022, with no goals and just two assists for Rochester in that year’s playoff run.
Center Tyson Jost is one of the Sabres’ UFAs that could leave before next season starts. Jost, with only 10 goals for Buffalo over the past two years, is a forward Kulich might step in and replace. The Sabres could keep Kulich in Rochester, because he's not an RFA until 2027. However, Jost exiting Buffalo is the opportunity for Kulich to prove himself in the NHL and his stats point to his readiness.