BUFFALO – Through three games this season, Sabres center Jiri Kulich has compiled zero goals, zero points and a minus-4 rating.
In Tuesday’s practice, Kulich, 21, skated alongside Jordan Greenway and Mason Geertsen, a strong sign he could be benched for Tuesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.
Does coach Lindy Ruff, whose Sabres have scored two goals during their 0-3-0 start, plan to scratch the struggling Czech?
“Don’t know,” he said following the session in KeyBank Center. “Took a look at different things. We’ll make that decision in the morning.”
The Sabres have big expectations for Kulich, who scored 15 goals in 62 games and often pivoted the top line down the stretch as a rookie last season.
Ruff said his the youngster’s early play “hasn’t been good enough.”
“We need to be better,” he said. “He needs to be a better player. He needs to make more plays. He needs to skate more. His skating inside the game hasn’t been where it was last year. He needs to be a better player for us.”