Kulich named to AHL Top Prospects Team for second straight year

The American Hockey League announced today that Rochester Americans forward Jiri Kulich has been named to the AHL Top Prospects Team for the 2023-24 season.

Determined by the league’s hockey operations department in conjunction with AHL general managers, the AHL Top Prospects Team recognizes three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender who are projected to be the best future players in the the NHL.

To qualify for the AHL Top Prospects Team, skaters must be 22 years old or younger on the first day of the regular season and must have played in at least 36 regular season games in the AHL and no more than 30 games in regular season in the National Hockey League in 2023-2024. Goaltenders must be 23 years old or younger on opening night and have played in at least 25 AHL games and no more than 20 NHL games during the regular season.

After being named a first-team All-Prospect last year, Kulich followed that up with another stellar season in 2023-24. Kulich, who turned 20 in April, scored a career-high 27 goals – including seven power-play goals, one short-handed total, five game-winning goals and two hat tricks – and finished third on the team with 45 points in 57 games while leading the Amerks back to the playoffs for the second straight year.

Kulich, who represented Rochester at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, was the first Amerk to score 20 or more goals in consecutive seasons since Cole Schneider and Justin Bailey both did so in 2015-16 and 2016 -17 and also became the first Rochester player to lead the team in goals in consecutive seasons since AHL Hall of Famer Jody Gage in 1991-92 and 1992-93.

He also made his NHL debut with Buffalo on November 25 in New Jersey and later captained the Czech Republic and won a bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. Kulkich tied for the tournament lead with 12 points (6+6) in seven games, including two four-point outings and two game-winning goals to earn a selection to the tournament all-star team.

The Kadan, Czechia native was a first-round pick (28th overall) by the Sabers in the 2022 NHL Draft.

The 2023-24 AHL Top Prospects Team is as follows:

Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, Milwaukee Admirals

Defenseman Brandt Clarke, Ontario Reign

Defenseman Simon Edvinsson, Grand Rapids Griffins

Forward Jiri Kulich, Rochester Americans

Forward Logan Stankoven, Texas Stars

Forward Shane Wright, Coachella Valley Firebirds