Sabres notes: Jiri Kulich scratched as Nicolas Aube-Kubel returns

BUFFALO – Right now, the Sabres have a good problem. Winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel has recovered from a lower-body injury, giving them 13 forwards.

So if they remain healthy up front, that depth they’ve built up will force coach Lindy Ruff to make some difficult decisions.

Ruff made room for Aube-Kubel in Monday’s lineup against the Florida Panthers by scratching rookie Jiri Kulich. The Sabres placed winger Zach Benson, who’s battling a lower-body injury, on injured reserve to create a roster spot.

In his seven appearances this season, Kulich, 20, has often impressed Ruff, earning ice time alongside established talent on scoring lines and the power play. He even kept the Czech in the lineup once over winger Jack Quinn.

But with Aube-Kubel ready to play after an eight-game absence, sitting the neophyte against the gritty Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions, made sense.

“He’s done a lot of good things,” Ruff said of Kulich prior to the game in KeyBank Center. “If that ends up being the player that’s out, he’s been working real hard, his practices have been great. He continues to work on his game to make him a full-time NHL player.”

Kulich has scored one goal in this season. He hadn’t been scratched since Oct. 16.

On Monday, Aube-Kubel, who possesses grit and speed, skated alongside Quinn and center Dylan Cozens, the spot Kulich recently occupied.

While Kulich, the 28th overall pick in 2022, has stood out at times, he has also looked raw.

In Saturday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, Kulich extended some shifts, staying on the ice for more than one minute three times.

When Ruff was asked how he deals with long shifts, he brought his fingers to his mouth.

“I go like this,” he said before whistling. “That’s how we deal with it. And they know that means, ‘Oh, I must be out here a little too long.’ So, I mean, if we’re going to play a fast game – and that is our game, that is the identity we want – you’ve got to realize that probably when you’ve gone up back and up, your shift is over.”

Ruff said earlier in the season, he did not like his team’s line changes.

“Some of our changes were horrendous because we stayed on the ice too long,” he said. “We’ve really cleaned that part of our game up. I think every guy in that room understands when I’ve said 40 to 45 seconds, that should be max, unless you have one of those (shifts) where you got stuck in your own end, which will happen maybe once a game.

“But the understanding is you’ve got a short period of time to do your work at a really high rate. So if you’re not tired after 40 to 45 seconds, I’m assuming you haven’t done too much.”

Notes: The Sabres scratched defensemen Jacob Bryson and Dennis Gilbert (both healthy). … Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov returned from a lower-body injury. … The Panthers left immediately after the game for their NHL Global Series games later this week in Tampere, Finland. … Legendary Sabres tough guy Rob Ray will be inducted the team’s hall of fame prior to the Jan. 31 game against the Nashville Predators. The Sabres announced the honor earlier this month.