BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres started the World Junior Championship with three players in it, and as the tournament gets down to the semifinals, they still have three players in it.
Buffalo took Jiri Kulich with the 28th pick of the first round this year, and he’s been stellar for Czechia. Kulich had a goal and two assists for three points in his team’s upset win over Team USA to reach the final four.
In five games played, Kulich has two goals and three assists for five points.
Team Sweden has the Sabres' second first-round pick in 2021 in Isak Rosen. Thanks to the Rasmus Ristolainen trade to the Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo got Rosen at 14th overall. In five games the slick skating winger has three goals and an assist.
Linus Sjodin was the Sabres' seventh-round pick in 2022, and he has no points in five games with Sweden.
Kulich has said that he thinks he’ll be playing in the NHL this season and he just may have the chance to reach that goal as he and Rosen are expected to start the season in Rochester this year. Kulich looked like he was ahead of many of the Sabres prospects during July's development camp.
Rosen was selected by the International Ice Hockey Federation as one of the three fastest skaters in the Championship.