General Manager Bob Gainey continues to check players off of his list to re-sign. Winger Jan Bulis has agreed to terms on a one year deal, signing his qualifying offer. The 27-year-old Bulis will pocket just over 1 million US in the upcoming year.
In Bulis, the Habs retain the services of a guy who will, when all is said and done, likely suit up alongside fellow Czech native Radek Bonk on the third line. Together, Bulis and Bonk could form the makings of the best third line the CH will have been able to ice in quite some time.
Bulis has the size and skill to continue on the path of becoming a very effective two way player in Montreal. And, while question marks may surround his work in the offensive zone, there’s no denying he has the talent to make a hefty contribution. During the lockout, the 205lb left winger posted 49 points (24 G, 25 A) in 45 games with Parbudice of the Czech Elite League. Those numbers placed him ahead of the likes of Martin Straka, Ziggy Palffy, and Petr Sykora.
This could be the year where Bulis makes the jump from being a serviceable, reliable forward to a guy who chips in 20 goals and shines on both sides of the rink. It’s no secret that Bulis is an excellent defensive player. He skates well and, with Joey Juneau and Andy Dackell no longer in town, the bulk of the penalty killing work could fall on his shoulders.
In signing a one year deal, the 27-year-old will have a shot at showing Claude Julien and Bob Gainey that he deserves a spot on the Habs’ roster for a long time. There’s no denying that Jan Bulis possesses a lot of talent, but has he shown us in Montreal all that he has to offer? That’s not to take anything away from his work ethic and his tireless play on the ice, but if there’s one player wearing the CH poised to breakout in a big way, Bulis could be that player.
The bottom line is, it’s not a bad price to pay for a guy who could potentially take his game and throw it up against some of the elite players in the conference if need be. He has the size and the smarts to compete against other teams top lines, and with the more than capable Bonk at his side, we could see a flury of offensive activity coming from these two as well.