WARpath BuffaloWARpath BuffaloWARpath BuffaloWARpath Buffalo
Jiri Kulich
Center · BUF · NHL

Jiri Kulich

Age
22
Height
6'1"
Weight
195 lb
Shoots
L
Drafted
2022, round 1, 28th overall
Born
CZE
2026-27
NHL · Buffalo Sabres
Games
6
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2

His NHL ratings and game log →

Prospect score · 2026-27
High end

NHL regular, measured on the prospect scale

7th among BUF players 23 and under

+0.9WAR a season if he sticks
Outlook
NHL odds88%Becomes a full-time NHL player — 200 games by 26
Impact odds46%Better than the typical NHL regular among forwards
Arrival2026-27The season his comps who made it typically became regulars
WAR a season if he sticks+0.1+0.9+1.6Low, middle and high outcomes among his comparables who became regulars

Of the 10 players most like him at the same point in their development, 9 became full-time NHL players.

Development

His scoring, converted to an NHL equivalent, against every player his age and position that season. Zero is the average player his age; the band is where his comparables were at each age.

-10+1+2161718192021Age2020-21, age 16, 10 GP: -0.30 vs. his age group (0.09 NHL-equivalent points per game)2021-22, age 17, 49 GP: +0.41 vs. his age group (0.17 NHL-equivalent points per game)2022-23, age 18, 62 GP: +1.31 vs. his age group (0.32 NHL-equivalent points per game)2023-24, age 19, 57 GP: +0.91 vs. his age group (0.34 NHL-equivalent points per game)2024-25, age 20, 62 GP: +0.84 vs. his age group (0.39 NHL-equivalent points per game)2025-26, age 21, 12 GP: +0.76 vs. his age group (0.42 NHL-equivalent points per game)
HimMiddle half of his comps at that ageAverage player his age
Comparables

Past prospects at the same position and the same stage after their draft, matched on draft slot, age, size and league-adjusted production. What they became is already known. The outcome is judged at 26: 200 NHL games by then makes a regular.

#PlayerMatchNHL GP by 26Career NHL GPOutcomeWAR a season
1Beau Bennett2010 · #20 · at 2260%200200Regular+0.10
2Colin White2015 · #21 · at 2254%320323Regular+0.31
3Kasperi Kapanen2014 · #22 · at 2251%387575Regular+1.21
4Alexandre Texier2017 · #45 · at 2249%283290Regular+0.34
5Jordan Kyrou2016 · #35 · at 2248%416495Regular+2.38
6Rickard Rakell2011 · #30 · at 2247%447869Regular+1.53
7Sam Steel2016 · #30 · at 2246%418498Regular+0.48
8Nikolay Goldobin2014 · #27 · at 2246%125125Did not stick—
9J.T. Compher2013 · #35 · at 2245%341660Regular+1.14
10Jared McCann2014 · #24 · at 2245%506728Regular+1.62
Season by season
SeasonGPGAPtsPIM
2026-27NHL · Buffalo Sabres61120
2025-26NHL · Buffalo Sabres123254
2024-25NHL · Buffalo Sabres621592418
2024-25AHL · Rochester Americans42130
2023-24WJC-20 · Czechia U20766120
2023-24NHL · Buffalo Sabres10000
2023-24AHL · Rochester Americans5727184526
2022-23WJC-20 · Czechia U2077292
2022-23AHL · Rochester Americans6224224618
2021-22WJC-20 · Czechia U2072680
2021-22WJC-18 · Czechia U18692112
2021-22Hlinka Gretzky Cup · Czechia U1843142
2021-22Czechia U20 · HC Energie Karlovy Vary U2022244
2021-22Czechia · HC Energie Karlovy Vary4995144
2020-21WJC-18 · Czechia U1840000
2020-21Czechia2 · SK Trhači Kadaň103032
2020-21Czechia U20 · Piráti Chomutov U2053250
2020-21Czechia U17 · Piráti Chomutov U1711230
2020-21Czechia · HC Energie Karlovy Vary80000
2019-20DHL Cup · Piráti Chomutov U20201788
2019-20Czechia U17 2 · Pirati Chomutov B U1715160
2019-20Czechia U17 · Piráti Chomutov U17192316398
2018-19MMCR · Ustecky kraj U15624610
2018-19Czechia U16 · Pirati Chomutov U163521274839
2017-18Czechia U16 · Pirati Chomutov U162273102

The prospect score is a percentile of his expected outcome among every prospect in the league: the chance he becomes a regular, times how good his comparables who did became against others at their position. A player who never sticks counts as zero, which is why a long shot with a high ceiling can rank below a safe bet. All Sabres prospects · How the rankings work