Jiří Kulich
| Jiří Kulich | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
14 April 2004 Kadaň, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 179 lb (81 kg; 12 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Buffalo Sabres HC Energie Karlovy Vary | ||
| NHL draft |
28th overall, 2022 Buffalo Sabres | ||
| Playing career | 2020–present | ||
Jiří Kulich (born 14 April 2004) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 28th overall by the Sabres in the 2022 NHL entry draft.
Playing career
[edit]Kulich made his professional debut for HC Energie Karlovy Vary in the Czech Extraliga during the 2020–21 season where he appeared in eight games.[1][2] During the 2021–22 season he recorded nine goals and five assists in 49 games. He was drafted in the first-round, 28th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2022 NHL entry draft.[3]
On 15 July 2022, Kulich embarked on his North American career after he was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres.[4]
On 25 November 2023 during the 2023–24 season, Kulich made his NHL debut with the Sabres against the New Jersey Devils.[5]
International play
[edit]| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Czech Republic
| ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| World Junior Championships | ||
 |
2023 Canada | |
 |
2024 Sweden | |
Kulich represented the Czech Republic under-18 team at the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships where he appeared in four games.[6] He again represented Czech Republic at the 2022 IIHF World U18 Championships where he served as captain. He led the tournament in goals with nine and was subsequently named tournament MVP.[7]
He represented the Czech Republic national junior team at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[8] He again represented the Czech Republic at the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships where he recorded seven goals and two assists in seven games and won a silver medal. He again represented the Czech Republic at the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships where he recorded a team-leading six goals and six assists in seven games and won a bronze medal.
Career statistics
[edit]Regular season and playoffs
[edit]| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2020–21 | Piráti Chomutov | CZE U20 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | HC Energie Karlovy Vary | ELH | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | SK Trhači Kadaň | Czech.1 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | HC Energie Karlovy Vary | ELH | 49 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | HC Karlovy Vary | CZE U20 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 62 | 24 | 22 | 46 | 18 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 57 | 27 | 18 | 45 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2023–24 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| ELH totals | 57 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
[edit]| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Czech Republic | U18 | 7th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | Czech Republic | HG18 | 6th | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2022 | Czech Republic | U18 | 4th | 6 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2022 | Czech Republic | WJC | 4th | 7 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Czech Republic | WJC | 
|
7 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2024 | Czech Republic | WJC | 
|
7 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 35 | 27 | 17 | 44 | 6 | ||||
References
[edit]- ^ "Scouting Report: Jiří Kulich". smahtscouting.com. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ ""Vždycky to byl můj sen," líčí Jiří Kulich po debutu mezi chlapy". piratichomutov.cz (in Czech). 11 October 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ Ryndak, Chris (7 July 2022). "Sabres take Kulich 28th overall at 2022 NHL Draft". NHL.com. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ "Sabres sign first-round picks Matt Savoie, Jiri Kulich and Noah Ostlund". Buffalo Sabres. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ "Hischier has 2 points in return, Devils cruise past Sabres to end skid". National Hockey League. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Cam (23 April 2021). "Meet the Team: Czechia's Under-18 World Hockey Championship Roster". eprinkside.com. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ Hriciik, Madison (7 July 2022). "Five things to know about Sabres' No. 28 pick Jiri Kulich". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ Kimelman, Adam (25 December 2021). "2022 World Junior Championship rosters". NHL.com. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
External links
[edit]- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
 | This Czech biographical article relating to ice hockey is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 2004 births
- Living people
- Buffalo Sabres draft picks
- Buffalo Sabres players
- Czech expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
- Czech ice hockey forwards
- HC Karlovy Vary players
- Ice hockey people from the Ústí nad Labem Region
- NHL first-round draft picks
- People from Kadaň
- Rochester Americans players
- Sportovní Klub Kadaň players
- Czech ice hockey biography stubs