Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich endured an up-and-down rookie season while often being thrust into difficult top-six minutes after the Dylan Cozens trade. His struggles showcased the continued learning curve he's faced in North America since arriving from the Czech Republic.
Kulich admitted to Michael Russo of The Athletic that he's face some challenges in recent years, both with the Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans, but he remains confident in his ability to become an impact player.
"I think I can be the goal scorer," the 21-year-old forward said. "You know, I never played defense before I came here to the U.S., so I really had a tough two years in Rochester to figure out how to defend. I think I'm doing a pretty good job. But I could see myself as a two-way center, goal scorer."
Buffalo is hoping Kulich can take a significant step forward in 2025-26 as he's once again ticketed for a key role in the lineup.
Analyzing Kulich's rookie campaign
Kulich had his moments throughout his debut campaign last year, including a five-game stretch in late January where he tallied four goals and three assists. There were also extended stretches where he failed to make a tangible impact, though.
That's normal for a young player in the NHL. The problem in this case, however, is the Sabres always lean too heavily on recently promoted prospects because they struggle to upgrade their roster in other ways, namely trades or free-agent signings.
Kulich finished his rookie season with 24 points (15 goals and nine assists) in 62 games. On the plus side, all 15 of his goals came at even strength and he netted three game-winning goals. His upside as a pure scorer was obvious.
Yet, concerns stem from his lack of last-pass playmaking ability and winning just 45.5 percent of his faceoffs. The latter number raises questions about whether he'll stick at center for the long haul or eventually shift to the wing, which would also lessen his defensive responsibilities.
The 2022 first-round pick probably won't ever become an elite two-way forward given his late start to learning D-zone assignments, but his attacking skill gives him a great chance to stick in the NHL.
Kulich's 2025-26 season outlook
One of the biggest questions the Sabres must sort out when they arrive to training camp is where Kulich will land in the initial lineup. Will he play center on one of the top two lines or is Tage Thompson going to shift back to the middle, moving the Czech rising star to the wing?
The answer will have a sizable impact on his final point total. Beyond that, however, there are a couple areas where Buffalo will hope to see clear progress.
First, Kulich needs to show he can get to the most dangerous areas of the ice more consistently. A modest 29% of his shots last season (39 of 134) came from the inner slot, per NHL EDGE. Getting to the front for rebounds and tips would go a long way to adding variety to his scoring.
Second, he needs to continue making strides defensively, especially if he's playing center. Keeping his compete level up in the defensive zone on a shift-to-shift basis is critical for a player who rose through the hockey ranks based mostly on his offensive skill.
All told, Kulich has the tools to become a long-term building block alongside Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Zach Benson and Ryan McLeod in Buffalo. He's not at that level yet, though.
How much progress he makes during the 2025-26 season will tell an important story about whether he's truly on the track toward NHL stardom.