AMERKS SHOW OUT AT PROSPECTS CHALLENGE
Recapping the top performance at this year's Prospecys Challenge tournamen in Buffalo
Sep 17, 2024
By Andrew Mossbrooks | @Mossbrooks48
The future is bright in Buffalo, but it was molded in Rochester.
The names Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen were heard often throughout the annual NHL Prospects Challenge over the last several days at LECOM Harborcenter in downtown Buffalo. Rosen had five points (1+4). Kulich had five goals. The duo combined for five points alone in the Sabres’ final game Monday against Pittsburgh.
“My only goal is to make it to the NHL,” said Rosen. “I’m trying to get better every day to make that happen.”
“I felt more confident than in years before,” said Kulich. “I’m stronger and I’m not scared to go into battles.”
Kulich led Buffalo and the Prospects Challenge as a whole with his five goals and six points, topping every player across the six participating teams.
“He is competitive,” said head coach Michael Leone, who will remain with the Sabres entering preseason, before steering the ship in Rochester next month. “I was more impressed with the way he played away from the puck. The things he does away from the puck and how he manages the game; he was excellent all week.”
Kulich and Rosen in the eyes of many did what they were expected to do. They led the way and dominated with sustained puck possession in the offensive zone for each of Buffalo’s three games.
Kulich has led the Amerks in goals each of the last two years, while his Swedish counterpart finished tied for first in scoring with a 50-point campaign in the Flower City a season ago.
Both enter Sabres main camp with eyeing a spot on the opening night roster, but they weren’t the only Amerks showcasing their abilities. The two shared a line with Viktor Neuchev, who led all Rochester rookies with 28 points (11+17) in 2023-24. He scored twice in the Prospects Challenge finale against Pittsburgh and tallied an assist in the first game Friday against Columbus.
Olivier Nadeau was also a standout, scoring a goal Saturday against New Jersey, but also being noticeably active on the forecheck and aggressive on the puck. Nadeau only appeared in five games with Rochester a season ago but worked and developed more layers to his game with increased playing time in ECHL-Jacksonville.
“I learned how to play pro hockey there,” said Nadeau when asked about his 41 games in Jacksonville. “I learned how much harder I had to work on my game and I took that into the summer. I wanted to arrive here in camp and prove something this year.”
Anton Wahlberg joined the Amerks late last season, registering four points (1+3) over nine regular season games. He connected with the Sabres’ most recent first-round pick, Konsta Helenius, to score at the net-front Monday against the Penguins.
On defense, Nikita Novikov, Ryan Johnson, and Noah Laaouan all played big minutes over the three rookie games, including Monday where the team could only dress five defensemen due to injuries.
“I think if you look at the whole, this group did a lot of really good things,” said Leone. “The guys worked really hard. We had the puck a lot. We were physically engaged and I thought we were really competitive. The habits and details were really good.”
For a week, Amerks from a season ago got to be Buffalo Sabres in rookie camp. Opportunity comes as some of those same players will be invited across the street, going from LECOM Harborcenter to KeyBank Center, the home of the Buffalo Sabres, and perhaps the new home for some Rochester Americans.