Sabres Send Jiri Kulich to AHL Rochester

The Buffalo Sabres announced Tuesday that they have loaned forward Jiri Kulich to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. The move makes room on the active roster for Zach Benson, who is on injured reserve but returned to practice yesterday. Benson is expected to play against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday as he recovers from a lower-body injury.

Kulich has been a part of the Sabres since day one of training camp. He was Buffalo’s standout player in the Prospects Challenge, which earned him a trip to Europe as the team began the season in his native Czechia. Injuries to the forward group kept Kulich with the team out of necessity, and the rookie appeared in eight games this season.

Healthy scratching Jiri Kulich was a topic of debate, as the forward’s development and the Sabres’ roster requirements were opposing forces. Kulich had flashes of showing his potential with the big club but only managed one goal and zero assists in his eight appearances.

Related: What Sabres Should Do With Jiri Kulich

Kulich to Rochester

Kulich will head to Rochester to provide a spark to an already strong Amerks squad. The Americans are 5-3-0 to begin the season, outscoring opponents 32 to 19. They’re currently riding a four-game win streak and now have added another number-one center to the team.

Jiri Kulich’s linemates in the Prospects Challenge, Isak Rosen and Viktor Neuchev, are Rochester’s two leading scorers with nine and eight points, respectively, in eight games. The trio could form one of the more dangerous scoring lines in the AHL this season.

Benson Back for Sabres

As for the Sabres, Zach Benson’s return helps improve the top six. Benson is a proven quality defensive forward already at his young age, and projects to have high offensive upside as well. Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn need to get going in a bad way, and the line, with Benson, showed promise in the preseason.