This 19-year-old hockey player from Kadana is no giant, but he is handy. Against Canada in the quarterfinals, Jakub Štancl was not seen as the scorer of two goals, but he was still one of the key Czech players.
On the international team scene, he has a lot to build on and aspire to. Last year, he won silver with the Czech juniors. They only fell in the final with Canada. Now they are aiming high again, they would definitely like to win this year.
After a year, the Czech youngsters have a slightly different Kulich at their head than last year. Obviously much more experienced. For the top AHL team Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres farm), including the playoffs in the 2022-23 season, he played 74 games, scored 31 goals and assisted on 26 of them. So far this year, he has a balance of 16+6.
Last year at the successful MSJ, he scored 7 goals and 3 assists. So far this year it’s 4+4.
He saw a key moment in his career when he was selected 28th overall in the 2022 draft by the Buffalo Sabres, who signed him to a three-year contract. So far, he has played only one game in the NHL, but he is gaining experience in the AHL reserve and, of course, also in the national team.
The skilful center collected a large number of points already in the youth categories. He tasted adult hockey for the first time at the age of 16. He scored three goals in ten games in the first league Kadani, and also made eight starts in the Czech top flight.
Photo: Profimedia.cz
Kulich with the captain’s badge on the jersey of the Czech junior national team.
At the age of 17, he was already able to win a solid place in the extra-league Karlovy Vary, when he started most of the season in the center of the second attack. In several matches, he also tried it in their elite formation.
Even back then, he was one of the most productive juniors in the competition with Pilsen’s David Jiříček, and they began to notice him even overseas. “Kulich is fast, straightforward and defensively responsible. He is skilled and scored a lot of goals for his age in the Czech top league. I think a smart team should take him before he’s unavailable,” NHL head of video scouting Will Scouch wrote in his blog at the time.
Kulich has already represented the Czech Republic in the 2021 U18 World Cup, where he played in four matches. In a year, he was the captain of MSJ under 18. He led the tournament with nine goals and was subsequently named the tournament’s most valuable player.
This summer, the coach of the adult midfielder Radim Rulík let it be known that he too would give the youngster a chance. Jiří Kulich worked on his physical education and with the help of specialized coach Radek Duda and ice hockey player and Olympic medalist Karolína Erbanová improved his skating and other hockey skills. New assistant coach Václav Prospal will certainly help him in Rochester.
It is already very likely that Jiří Kulich has a good footing in the “big” team. As well as into sharp fights in the NHL.
