Head coach Lindy Ruff indicated Wednesday that Kulich could step in for Jason Zucker (abdomen) early in the 2026-27 season, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic reports.
Zucker is slated to miss the start of the 2026-27 campaign while recovering from sports hernia surgery, which could lead to increased early-season opportunities for Kulich. The 22-year-old Kulich made 12 regular-season appearances for Buffalo last year and recorded three goals, two assists, 12 blocked shots, nine hits and four PIM while averaging 16:22 of ice time.