David Jiricek becomes the new pillar of the Minnesota Wild Blueline

Rumors surrounding David Jiricek have been swirling for a while but the wait is over as he heads to the Minnesota Wild. Jiricek’s time with the Columbus Blue Jackets was up and down, to put it kindly. The young defenseman has always been a talking point because his play at the AHL level has been impressive, especially in the playoffs last year, but the opportunities in Columbus – which have always been in the NHL basement – were rare.

In just over two years, Jiricek went from being a highly touted prospect drafted 6th overall to helping the Czech Republic win a silver medal at the World Junior Championship and being named the team’s top defenseman. tournament to AHL star player the same season, then to yo-yo. went from the AHL to the NHL and back again last season, and now he’s been traded for below market value.

The fresh start is just what the doctor ordered for Jiricek. It’s probably also a relief for the club as he had clearly fallen out of favor in Columbus. The relationship became strained as the player and team had different ideas on how his development should be handled and whether there was enough traction to win and prolong the NHL’s appearance.

Now in Minnesota, Jiricek will be able to get back on track with a team that is very clearly interested in what he has to offer. The Wild gave up several decent assets, with a conditional 2025 first-round pick (top five protected) and a good young depth defender in Daemon Hunt being the highlights of the package.

Going from an inferior player to a team with the second-best point total in the NHL doesn’t exactly seem to make Jiricek’s path to the NHL any easier. There is no clear place for Jiricek on the NHL club at the moment, but there is a path to a spot, even if in a limited role for this season.

Jiricek should immediately join the Iowa Wild and establish himself as the team’s top defenseman, just like he was with Columbus’ AHL affiliate in Cleveland. Jiricek’s offensive prowess and his blistering shot from the blue line have made him a true difference maker at the AHL level. He has natural offensive instincts that come with an intensity that makes him fun to watch.

Defensively, he will seek to assert himself physically and bring the same intensity. Jiricek has never seen a shot he didn’t want to throw and he tries to play as hard as possible without crossing the line. The 6-foot-4 defenseman can be punishing in the corners and around the net, making players think twice before getting into a battle with him for the puck again.

The area of ​​Jiricek’s play that has always been a concern, since his draft year, is his dynamism as a skater and his overall mobility. When the puck is on his stick and Jiricek is dictating what will happen, he can move well and roam the blue line with great efficiency. It’s when he moves away from the puck and looks to stalk an attacker or win a puck race in a straight line that the problems start to arise. He lacks the best equipment and agility to defend at an elite level. It’s not that he’s a bad skater, he just lacks the high-end equipment that sometimes limits his overall mobility.

Being in a new organization with a fresh start, Jiricek will have to take time to acclimatize to the landing spot. That in itself should give him a patience that seemed to be wearing thin in Columbus. In a new position, he’ll have to understand that he’ll have an even harder time earning a spot, because being frustrated about not making a shot in the NHL against Jordan Harris is a lot different than not making a shot against Zach Bogosian, the third pair. defenders against whom he was and will be competing for a place on the right side.

There is still so much potential bubbling beneath the surface of Jiricek, who turned 21 just a few days ago. The offensive bent of his game could mean he and Zeev Buium could be battling for power play time in Minnesota in a few years. The physical side of his game could give him an edge as he looks to hold onto the NHL’s top four minutes long term.

Jiricek has the potential to be a very impactful defenseman in the NHL. With him and Brock Faber on the riding side and Zeev Buium on the left, backed by veterans like captain Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin, the Minnesota Wild could have a very solid blue line with a diverse set of talent in a few years.

With Faber demonstrating that he is a true top-two NHL defenseman as a rookie last season and Buium dominating the NCAA, earning him a top-12 selection in the NHL draft last June, the Wild had two pillars to build on at the back. Trading for Jiricek gives them three possible NHL impact defensemen who all bring something a little different. The Wild are building a potentially special blue line and they hope Jiricek will be the piece that puts them over the top.

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