BUFFALO – The Sabres’ plan for Jiri Kulich this preseason includes moving him around the lineup at different positions.
So the Czech forward, who missed most of last season recovering from a blood clot, is expected to center the top line alongside Konsta Helenius and Noah Ostlund for at least some of tonight’s preseason road game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Kulich, who will likely play all four exhibition contests, has spent some of training camp skating down the lineup as a winger.
Naturally, placing Kulich, 22, between, Helenius, 20, and Ostlund, 22, creates an intriguing trio of high-end youngsters.
“Playing with a couple guys that are goal scorers and playmakers, just see how that looks,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said this morning in KeyBank Center. “There’s going to be a lot of pieces that probably move around. I like the job he did. But the plan all along was to get him up and play in some different spots.”
Kulich said Helenius and Ostlund both possess a hockey IQ that’s on “another level.”
“Having those two guys on the same line, it’s just getting me more excited,” he said.
Meanwhile, defenseman Gavin McCarthy, a Clarence native, is expected to make his NHL preseason debut tonight.
McCarthy, 21, played three seasons at Boston University before turning pro and joining the Rochester Americans late last year.
So far, the 6-2, 198-pound McCarthy has impressed Ruff.
“He’s got a good handle on the game, he’s got some physicality to him,” he said. “I’ve liked his camp so far, so I think he’s a guy that you look at getting some experience. He’s a guy that should be able to play at some point.”
Ruff said goalie Alex Lyon will start tonight and be backed up by Colten Ellis.
The rest of the lineup is below.
Forwards
Thomas Bordeleau Justin Danforth, Tyson Kozak, Trevor Kuntar, Matthew Peca, Aidan McDonough, Jason Polin, Jake Richard and Liam Valente.
Defense
Dennis Gilbert, Ryan Johnson, Vsevolod Komarov, Zach Metsa and Radim Mrtka.