This Buffalo Sabres top prospect could sneak his way onto the NHL roster next season.
The Buffalo Sabres had themselves a busy offseason, especially when it came to their offense. They brought in an array of new forwards, including Jason Zucker, Beck Malenstyn, Ryan McLeod, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Sam Lafferty.
Overall, with these moves, the Sabres certainly improved their forward depth, especially regarding their bottom six. However, they also could not grab a guaranteed top-six winger, so there is a spot to fight for at training camp.
Players like Zucker and Zach Benson will surely be in the mix for a top-six role, but fans should also keep an eye on top prospect Jiri Kulich.
Kulich, 20, offers excellent versatility, as he can play both down the middle and on the wing. Because of this, with a strong training camp, he could make a case for himself to secure a middle-six spot on the Sabres’ roster at least.
Kulich has shown great promise at the AHL level with the Rochester Americans. This past season from the 2022 first-round pick was particularly impressive, as he recorded 27 goals to go along with 45 points in 57 games with the Amerks. This kind of goal-scoring could get him some consideration for a big promotion.
Nevertheless, there is no question that Kulich is a prospect to keep an eye on from here. At a minimum, he should at least get some reps with the NHL squad during the 2024-25 campaign. However, he should not be ruled out from making their opening night roster, either.