Sidebar: Jiri Kulich and his 18yr old AHL season

[Flashsabre]

What Kulich is doing at 18 is super impressive. He is coming on too as the year winds down. Hopefully he gets a playoff run. Kid is a warrior.

Rosen who is a year older is having a good year in the AHL as a teen but Kulich is blowing him away being a year younger.

Hats off to Appert, Peca and company for the developmental work they have done with the likes of Quinn, JJ, Kulich, Rosen etc. 

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, Turbo44 said:

Ahh yes typo. 2024 1st, UPL and a top prospect not named savoie or kulich?? I’d obviously want to hold on 2023 1st as it better be higher than the 2024 1st.

fair offer may be 2024 1st, 2023 2nd, UPL and a good prospect??

we still would have one pick in each of the top rounds in 2023

we can’t waste another year with abysmal goaltending 

 

 

I would make the deal in a heartbeat 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

I would make the deal in a heartbeat 

Which is why Nashville wouldn't make it.

[MBD]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

Not necessarily. He's got issues to attend to. That doesn't mean that he can't resolve them. I wish him the best. When organizations make decisions, they do so with the information they have on hand. Sometimes the situation can unexpectantly, dramatically change. You can't control that. The Panthers had a prospect who hadn't signed a pro deal and was years away from playing in the league. So trading him in a package that brought you back a good NHL player was a good deal for them. You just do the best you can with the information you have on hand. 

True they had no idea at the time, just saying in hindsight.  Which is obviously 20/20.

[thewookie1]

2 hours ago, Taro T said:

Which is why Nashville wouldn't make it.

Then they're nuts

[dudacek]

4 hours ago, Turbo44 said:

Ahh yes typo. 2024 1st, UPL and a top prospect not named savoie or kulich?? I’d obviously want to hold on 2023 1st as it better be higher than the 2024 1st.

fair offer may be 2024 1st, 2023 2nd, UPL and a good prospect??

we still would have one pick in each of the top rounds in 2023

we can’t waste another year with abysmal goaltending 

 

 

Needs to be said that no goalie has ever been traded for such a big haul in the current era.

Best return I can find for an established top goalie like Saros was when the Canucks got Shawn Matthias and Jakob Markstrom for Roberto Luongo.

Which is kinda like Saros for Levi and Greenway.

The best return I can find for a goalie at all, is the 9th overall pick for Corey Schneider, who was 27 and coming off three consecutive seasons of .927 or better playing 30ish games a year behind Luongo.

Edited March 27, 2023 by dudacek

[FrenchConnection44]

Excited about what he brings to the table. Agree he needs more muscle and strength. But he is a helluva player. It’s a fine line between bringing up too soon and risking some stagnation at the amateur level. I see it a lot in MLB. 

But our needs are for a two way FwD and defenseman. I’d only bring him up if we traded away someone (say, like Mitts). 
 

 

[FrenchConnection44]

Kulich continues to impress with two more goals. I think he is a star in the making. Not sure we can keep him down long. 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, FrenchConnection44 said:

Kulich continues to impress with two more goals. I think he is a star in the making. Not sure we can keep him down long. 

We can keep him down all next year with an occasional callup. He's basically a touch ahead of Quinn's 15 game pace in his first AHL season and far below his AHL season last year. Kulich can hang out another year in the AHL. 

[JohnC]

12 hours ago, Taro T said:

Which is why Nashville wouldn't make it.

How about a first round pick this year and Rosen for Demko?

[LGR4GM]

18 minutes ago, JohnC said:

How about a first round pick this year and Rosen for Demko?

[French Collection]

12 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

We can keep him down all next year with an occasional callup. He's basically a touch ahead of Quinn's 15 game pace in his first AHL season and far below his AHL season last year. Kulich can hang out another year in the AHL. 

The impression(s) he makes during those callups will determine where they see him fitting in and who may have to be moved to make room for him. A few good games at the NHL level could accelerate the timeline.

I think he is driven to improve and will work hard this summer to make the Sabres. He will make it difficult for them to send him down. His age and contract status will make it easier for KA to cut him but he could be VO’s replacement.

Kulich will have growing pains but he will do things that VO doesn’t. He already has a good shot but he will not avoid physical contact, can play C and can help in driving a line. He and Savoie could end up providing 3 scoring lines for the Sabres.

[JohnC]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

I don't see Saros is attainable or maybe even available. Who else and how much? How about Demko for a #1 pick?  

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, JohnC said:

I don't see Saros is attainable or maybe even available. Who else and how much? How about Demko for a #1 pick?  

When is the last time a goalie was traded for a #1 pick and what did that goalie look like the year it happened? 

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, French Collection said:

The impression(s) he makes during those callups will determine where they see him fitting in and who may have to be moved to make room for him. A few good games at the NHL level could accelerate the timeline.

I think he is driven to improve and will work hard this summer to make the Sabres. He will make it difficult for them to send him down. His age and contract status will make it easier for KA to cut him but he could be VO’s replacement.

Kulich will have growing pains but he will do things that VO doesn’t. He already has a good shot but he will not avoid physical contact, can play C and can help in driving a line. He and Savoie could end up providing 3 scoring lines for the Sabres.

The GM has said many times that he would rather allow a prospect to work on his game longer in the lower league so that he will be better prepared when he does get a call-up. It's apparent that the GM's impulse is to error on the side of waiting longer than hoping for an earlier return on a player. There is no rush. Because these prospects are so young there is also a physical and emotional maturity aspect to consider. 

[JohnC]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

When is the last time a goalie was traded for a #1 pick and what did that goalie look like the year it happened? 

I can't recall. What I can say is that if a quality goaltender is brought in, it will have a major impact on this team. Ask yourself, if we had an Ullmark caliber goalie this year, not necessarily him, where would this team be this year? Sometimes the issue isn't so much market value as it is the value for your team. 

[French Collection]

Just now, JohnC said:

The GM has said many times that he would rather allow a prospect to work on his game longer in the lower league so that he will be better prepared when he does get a call-up. It's apparent that the GM's impulse is to error on the side of waiting longer than hoping for an earlier return on a player. There is no rush. Because these prospects are so young there is also a physical and emotional maturity aspect to consider. 

I would like to see him play another AHL season with some glimpses at the NHL level. The Red Wings model of prospects marinating in the AHL was very successful.

But, if this kid can play a bit of defensive hockey, battle along the boards to get the puck out, win a battle in the corners to gain possession and carry the puck through the neutral zone he may be better than VO. I think most people are done with VO and he could be moved for something they need.

Kulich may end up pushing JJP down the lineup. I hope the AHL guys develop him more as a well rounded forward than just a perimeter shooter like VO.

[dudacek]

Just for the record since we tend to get caught up in how well Kulich is doing for a 18-year-old.

He’s 8th among goals for rookies and 17th for points.

Overall, he’s 41st in goals and 95th in points.

He’s a top 6 AHL player, but he’s not a dominant one. And he’s clearly at least a step behind where Peterka was a year ago and 2 below Quinn.

I don’t think anyone should be pencilling him into the NHL roster in October.

[DarthEbriate]

^ Yup. Next season, anywhere from 2-10 games barring a rash of significant injuries.

Then in 2024-5, the hope is he's ready to go from opening night. But even then he might only be a half-season guy (and that's not necessarily a bad thing as it would mean the NHL roster is healthy and everyone is playing to their potential).

[French Collection]

9 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Just for the record since we tend to get caught up in how well Kulich is doing for a 18-year-old.

He’s 8th among goals for rookies and 17th for points.

Overall, he’s 41st in goals and 95th in points.

He’s a top 6 AHL player, but he’s not a dominant one. And he’s clearly at least a step behind where Peterka was a year ago and 2 below Quinn.

I don’t think anyone should be pencilling him into the NHL roster in October.

Good points.

I have to tame my enthusiasm, I did say he should go to the AHL and get some callups to see where he is at and give him an idea on what he needs to do.

I’m so tired of watching VO be weak at 80% of the game and not cashing in on his special skill that I want someone to audition for that slot.

[mjd1001]

23 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Just for the record since we tend to get caught up in how well Kulich is doing for a 18-year-old.

He’s 8th among goals for rookies and 17th for points.

Overall, he’s 41st in goals and 95th in points.

He’s a top 6 AHL player, but he’s not a dominant one. And he’s clearly at least a step behind where Peterka was a year ago and 2 below Quinn.

I don’t think anyone should be pencilling him into the NHL roster in October.

Agreed. It's about training camp next year and the pre season. If he blows your doors off and  his play demands a spot on the sabers roster, then he makes the team. If he doesn't do that it's back to Rochester. It's great hes doing well in Rochester now, but training camp will determine where he stands with this team next year

[French Collection]

If Rousek draws in to a game or two he will have some great information to pass on to his fellow countryman.

[...]

For several days I thought this thread was about a guy who has been in the AHL for 18 years. What a surprise!

[French Collection]

I really admire his drive to succeed. Moving to North America with limited English skills to play vs men at 18. I know he played vs men last year in Czechia but this is a whole other world.

In the summer there were thoughts of him playing for Cape Breton in the Q if he wasn’t ready for Rochester. He would’ve put up some big numbers in that league.

[Flashsabre]

I can see him in a couple years being Skinner’s replacement. Top 6 goal scoring winger. He still has growing and more developing to do but that is the spot you hope he eventually gets to.