‘I actually felt like a ghost’: Sabres’ Jiri Kulich recounts blood clot struggles

When you’re a young adult, you think you can take on the world. But for Jiri Kulich, that reality hit hard last fall.

In a game against the Washington Capitals on Nov. 1, 2025, the Buffalo Sabres forward took just one shift in the third period, but something just felt off with him. A few days later, a CT scan showed that he had a blood clot, something that a 21-year-old doesn’t usually endure.

In an interview with Sabres.com’s Justin Alpert, Kulich explained how he felt during what ended up being his final game of the 2025-26 season.

“The last game against Washington, I didn’t even know I’m on the ice. I actually felt like a ghost,” Kulich said. “And then I picked the puck behind the net, and I left it in front of our net and just kept skating…I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, there’s definitely something going on with me.’”

While there has been no medical confirmation of where the clot originated, many point to a hit Kulich received from Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden in a contest in March 2025. From then on, Kulich, who entered concussion protocol following the hit, experienced dizziness, fatigue, sluggishness and fuzzy memory over the summer, with symptoms starting to emerge during his training leading up to last season.

Kulich ended up appearing in just 12 games, scoring three goals and five points. The clot took him away from the game, as Buffalo went on an incredible run, winning the Atlantic Division and clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Yet, that wasn’t where Kulich’s focus was. With the Czech center’s family and girlfriend by his side, he underwent an operation in March to remove the clot, removing doubt that his hockey career was over.

“The doctor’s telling you that it’s a really uncommon thing, so you just don’t know what to expect,” Kulich said. “And your thoughts are always the worst. At some point, I was like, well, if I’m not gonna be able to play hockey, what am I gonna do? Do I have to work for my dad (in construction)?”

Kulich is fully healthy for the first time in almost 18 months and is ready to tackle the 2026-27 campaign head-on. While he wasn’t needed in the Sabres’ run last year, the team has high hopes that he can be an impact player in the top-six this year.

“I’m still a kid, but at the same time, I grew from a kid to a man,” Kulich said. “My thoughts are way different than they were last year. My confidence, too. Everything…I’ve never felt better.”

In 75 NHL games, Kulich has posted 18 goals and 11 assists for 29 points.

The Sabres open the new campaign on Oct. 1, when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets.