One of the biggest questions hanging over the Buffalo Sabres as the season approaches is what Jiri Kulich will bring after nearly a year away from NHL action. Blood clots kept him out, and that absence has left plenty of curiosity around what kind of player the Sabres are getting back.
Radim Mrtka offered a promising answer on Friday before the Prospect Showcase. Asked about Kulich, Mrtka didn’t hesitate.
"He looked amazing," Mrtka said. "I am really excited for him because he had a really tough year but he is an outstanding hockey player so I am pretty sure he will be back even stronger."
Mrtka trained with #Sabres center Jiri Kulich this summer in Czechia and gave him a strong review: He looks amazing. pic.twitter.com/VmyLgAMIHJ
- Rachel Lenzi 💁🏻♀️😎💥 (@rachelmlenzi) September 11, 2026
That assessment lines up with what Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff has already said about Kulich since his return to Buffalo. Ruff also said Kulich looked really good.
Now the real test is coming with training camp right around the corner. Kulich, a former first-round pick, was an important piece for Buffalo in the second half of the 2024-25 season and handled the center spot on the top line with Tage Thompson.
He didn’t keep that role coming out of training camp last year. Josh Norris took over at center on the top line, but when Norris was injured in the first game of the season, Kulich jumped right back into that spot.
In 12 games, Kulich produced three goals and two assists.
This year, he’ll be in the mix again for that top-line center job, but the competition is real. Norris is back in the picture, and Noah Ostlund and Konsta Helenius are also options. The Sabres could even decide to leave Thompson at center instead of shifting him back to the wing.
If Kulich wants to claim that role, the faceoff dot is one place he has to clean up. He finished at 45.5% on faceoffs in 2024-25 and 41.7% last season. Buffalo as a whole had a rough year there too, finishing last in the NHL at 45.9%.
Still, Kulich has a chance to be a major lift for the Sabres no matter where he starts the season. And if Mrtka’s view and Ruff’s view match what shows up on the ice, Buffalo could have one more difference-maker on its hands.
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The roster is worth circling because it includes the full group of Sabres prospects, along with the kind of names that can start to shape the conversation about what comes next. The opener also serves as a first real measuring stick for how Buffalos youngsters stack up in a game setting, and for a handful of players, it comes with some immediate questions about where they fit once the season starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]