- Jiri Kulich said he had a procedure at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to remove the blood clot that ended his season
- The 22-year-old Sabres center hasn’t played since November 1 and missed 83 games, counting Buffalo’s playoff run
- Read below for what Kulich said about his recovery, his return timeline, and the year he watched from the sidelines
Jiri Kulich is going to play hockey again.
Speaking publicly Tuesday for the first time at Buffalo’s locker cleanout, the 22-year-old Sabres center said he had a procedure at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, two months ago to have the entire blood clot removed, per Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat.
When asked what the past six months had felt like, Kulich didn’t sugar-coat it:
“It was kind of a roller coaster. I needed a procedure to finally be normal, I would say.”
Jiri Kulich, via Buffalo Hockey Beat
News of the issue first broke on November 9, when Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reported Kulich was out longterm:
He played just 12 games this season before leaving the lineup on November 1, finishing with three goals and five points. The center missed the final 83 games of the year, including the playoffs.
The Sabres ran to the second round before losing a Game 7 overtime thriller to Montreal on Monday night to end the season.
After surgery, the Czech forward couldn’t skate for a month. He’s now in his fourth week back on the ice and said he can “do pretty much everything right now.” He admitted he gained some weight during the layoff and is happy to be losing it.
Watch the full Sabres end-of-season press conference, with Kulich among the players who spoke:
Asked how his teammates handled the long absence, Kulich was direct:
“Even when I felt like I’m not part of this team because I’m not playing, they just treated me that I’m part of this team, and that helped me a lot this year.”
Jiri Kulich
His rookie year saw him post 24 points in 62 games. He projects as a key piece of Buffalo’s center depth, especially with Alex Tuch and Beck Malenstyn headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. The plan is for him to be ready when training camp opens in September.
