Prospect Info: 16th Overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, Adam Jiricek, RHD

[LastWordArmy]

The name might be familiar to hockey fans due to his brother, but one name to watch out for in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is Adam Jiricek. The younger brother of David Jiricek had a turbulent season in 2023-24. The main reason was injuries, which limited how much hockey he has been able to play. He only played 19 games in the Czechia league for HC Plzen. The defenceman got an assist, which doesn’t sound like a lot but in a pro men’s league just getting games at all is an impressive feat for a teenager.

Adam Jiricek Scouting Report: 2024 NHL Draft #18

Despite sustaining a major injury during the World Junior Championships, Adam Jiricek is still looking to be a top 20 pick at the draft.

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[LGB]

I'm excited to see how he develops. Number one he needs to get healthy and put on weight. Insane they had him playing against men this year. I'd like to see him in the CHL next year to develop his offensive game. There is really high upside I think as an all situations two way defenseman and a fairly safe floor assuming he puts on the size required to hold up in the NHL.

 

[Memento]

Very disappointed with the pick. I don't like the risk with a major knee injury and his struggles last year, and I don't think the upside is nearly enough to justify it.

 

[execwrite1]

Solberg vs Jiricek in five years.

 

[Majorityof1]

Solberg vs Jiricek in five years.

Solberg will be somewhere between a 3-5,. Jiricek will be somewhere between a #1-and washed out of NHL. Much higher ceiling, but his knee is concerning.

 

[Celtic Note]

Does Jiricek have the offensive game to be a number one or is #2 really the highest we could reasonably expect/hope.

 

[Majorityof1]

Does Jiricek have the offensive game to be a number one or is #2 really the highest we could reasonably expect/hope.

That's the work in progress. He is a smart player but doesn't trust his passing to create opportunities. He doesn't attempt many high-reward passes. Good shot, but hasn't fully figured out how to utilize it. It is hard to really gauge though as didn't play much this year and played in a men's league. Definitely more developed defensively though. Even if he stays healthy, there is still risk he never develops that all around game.

 

[PJJJP]

Wasn;t my first choice but welcome to the team Adam. Hopefully the leg heals up nicely and he can show why he had some hype before this year.

 

[kimzey59]

Does Jiricek have the offensive game to be a number one or is #2 really the highest we could reasonably expect/hope.

The skills are there for the offense to emerge.
It just hasn't yet.

 

[Xerloris]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1806866497827938761

I like that skating ability

 

[ezcreepin]

Jiricek will either end up being a Morgan Rielly or a Liljegren. If he's a solid defender, then I'm ok with a Leddy or Bouw type defenseman at 16. If he can't defend well, then you're banking on him developing his entire game for the NHL on top of his knee and concussion injuries. Very risky given his limited playing time, but he was rated in the top 10 for a reason. He should absolutely consider the CHL route and speak to Dvorsky about his process and development there. He's also got Pekarcik to ask questions of NA vs Euro play, as well as Strbak, Honzek, and Mesar. Blues will obviously put his development above all else so whatever he decides I'm on board with.

 

[shpongle falls]

Wow they got Jiricek eh? I was hoping they would pick Solberg but I’m intrigued by Jiricek, like his size, skating, and that he’s a right side D.
Injury history is concerning but I can’t blame them for taking a chance to to get a dman that talented at 16th overall.

Lindstein-Jiricek could be a nice future d pairing, two smart defenders that can transition the puck well.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Cautiously optimistic is the phrase I’d use here.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Cautiously optimistic is the phrase I’d use here.

Given your track record of the Blues losing when you watch, I respectfully request you not watch his development.

I too am cautiously optimistic, I like a lot of the tools and the frame(assuming he fills it out). But that knee just strikes at my paranoia.

 

[DatDude44]

I think he can become a real nice #3.

Lindstein-Jiricek could be a fantastic 2nd pair down the road.

Hopefully we can find a top pair capable LHD for Parayko and might be jettisoning out of this re-whatever quicker than we thought

 

[mk80]

I like the pick. It’s high risk with the injury history sure, but I’m ok taking the chance that it pays off.

I’m sure there’s been conversations with doctors, etc. in the Blues scouting prep. So I’m going to trust the Blues have a plan in place to have things trend in the right direction.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

Im thinking if he regains his health fully, and i would say with his age and sports medicine in 2024 he has a 90% chance to, and also hits his ceiling, were looking at a solid number 2/3 Dman. I dont see the elite upside on the offensive end for him ever to be a true #1. But at 16 overall, i say thats about the most we can realistically hope for. Good ceiling pick at 16, and fills a huge team need. This is why I like the pick, not a franchise altering pick, but another piece to build around. We lost the chance at a better prospect in season winning too many close games and too many games in OT, a soft sell at the deadline and we would have ended up at 14 or higher and could of possibly taken the Buf/SJ deal and it woulda put us in range for Dick/Buium. Once again a solid pick, but still slightly disappointed in the fact in an alternative universe we coulda ended up drafting higher, with a better prospect. My vision of the re-tool woulda had us at 11.

 

[542365]

I like the upside, I just wish he would play in the CHL and log big minutes in all situations. I can’t blame him for making good money playing professionally close to home, but I hope he actually gets some minutes unlike Dvorsky.

 

[Frenzy31]

Pie missed a huge chunk of his draft year. Someone mentioned concussion. Did he have one or just an ACL.

Concussion is more concerning to me.

I agree with you that I would prefer him to come over and play in the CHL. But it would really depend on who holds his rights.

 

[kimzey59]

Pie missed a huge chunk of his draft year. Someone mentioned concussion. Did he have one or just an ACL.

Concussion is more concerning to me.

I agree with you that I would prefer him to come over and play in the CHL. But it would really depend on who holds his rights.

His rights are held by the Brantford Bulldogs.
Wouldn't be the worst situation for him(there's some offensive talent on the team and he could easily work his way into being their #1 D man fairly quickly) and I definitely think he could benefit from playing for Jay McKee.

 

[LogosBlue]

I can understand the Blues taking a chance on him. Still very young and raw in my opinion with huge potential. His skating is absolutely his #1 asset. Watching his stickhandling while skating is at times a thing of beauty and sometimes leaves you scratching your noggin. I'm pretty sure this will develop and improve over time. If he does put the two together, I can see a Makar (light) develop into a legit #2.

I love his aggressiveness on the rush (offensively and defensively) his ability to weave through defenders carrying the play into the offensive zone (as a defenseman). And also using his speed and skating to read the play defensively and cut to the puck carrier directly, using the stick or body to break up plays. Doesn't seem afraid to be physical even though he is light weight.

He needs to improve his shot, which i think has zero power. Maybe if he can bulk up and put on some weight over the next 3 years, that will develop. Another aspect i'm not really keen on is his decision making at times. It seems really chaotic and sometimes altogether bad. I guess that's what time and experience may develop.

I hope they keep him away from the men's professional league. He shouldn't have been there to begin with and I'm sure that is the main reason he was injured. He looks much better and efficient in play against his own age peer group (actually dominant against his own age which gives me hope).

 

[tfriede2]

I didn’t think the Blues would go with high risk high reward here; I desparately wanted the Blues to go high risk in 2010 and draft Tarasenko, and we did, at pick 16. Maybe that’s a good omen

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

One aspect of Jiricek's game that hasn't gotten as much attention is his ability to accurately distribute in the offensive zone without telegraphing his passes. There's a lot of deception in that part of his game and that could make him a real asset in the o-zone.

 

[Blueston]

One aspect of Jiricek's game that hasn't gotten as much attention is his ability to accurately distribute in the offensive zone without telegraphing his passes. There's a lot of deception in that part of his game and that could make him a real asset in the o-zone.

People are underselling his upside when they refer to him as 2-way top 4 d. He could be much better than that. But folks are also I think underselling the risk with him when they focus on his knee injury. The knee is slight risk, but our doctors presumably signed off on the medicals and this isn't type of injury that typically would significantly negatively impact him going forward. The much bigger risk in my eyes is that he is super raw and missed almost full year of development.

Being further away from NHL makes him a riskier pick than the d selected ahead of him, but I think his upside is every bit as high as a guy such as Dickinson or Silly. I preferred Solberg (or even Emery) because I think they have higher floor (being more physically developed is part of it), but Jiricek has probably more upside as all-situation stud d than any blueliner we have picked since Petro.

 

[PJJJP]

Maybe he turns out to be our Wyatt Johnston who also didn't play during his draft year