Player Discussion: David Jiricek, 6th Overall, 2022 Draft

[VT]

Thanks for the correction, I'll take your word for it. I got a little different impression from reading the translation.

The translation itself isn't bad, but I think the author meant an overall change of style, from offense to more defense, not so much to support offense, focus more on defense. I judge by how such things are understood in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

 

[thebus88]

In regard to your last couple sentences, I don’t really understand how that much improvement can happen either. Jiricek will likely be able to improve it because he has to grow into his body still.

I think Jiricek, like many of the “highly touted” CBJ prospects, has been no more than average, when looking at their fitness/strength levels. I think he will improve his speed a bit by gaining more muscle, which is clearly needed. That said, especially in relation to K Johnson, I think Jiricek’s “skating form” is easily just as bad or worse, and they both simply lack (lower body/leg) strength.

Also, while “big” guys get looked at better for a myriad reasons over “small” guys, some more legitimate than others, at a certain height/weight, other than a VERY few players, there is a negative impact on skating and agility. Whether it’s “good weight”/muscle or not, Jiricek is going to have to adapt even more and will be impacted by whatever amount of weight he surely should or will gain in the near future.

Who knows what will happen, and if he can find that “sweet spot” regarding his size and “technique” regarding his skating. I don’t wanna harp on his words any more, but, all I’ll say is HOPEFULLY he sees what many others see and acknowledges the need for improvement, which I’m not sure we actually have heard much from him.

But guys like KJ and Sillinger probably won’t see that much skating improvement as the issue is form. Form can be corrected but it takes a lot of time to truly break bad habits and even then it’s not like they’ll suddenly get a lot faster. Imagine how good KJ could be if he was a bit faster, he would basically be Jack Hughes lite.

Idk how much of it is “form” with any of these guys. I think Jiricek’s skating is quite a bit worse than both of these guys, but, I think his size has a lot to do with it. Was Chris Pronger a “good skater”? It’s also a reason I can’t stand people bashing Gudbranson for his skating.

These 3 young guys all have 1 main thing in common though. I don’t think it’s “form”, it’s FITNESS.

I have been very vocal from the beginning that I thought it was clear that Sillinger was quite literally “fat” for an NHLer. One of the most ridiculous aspects of him being in the NHL so soon. He clearly lost a bunch of fat and immediately gained speed/acceleration. You don’t get “in shape” in a year however, and his lacking endurance is something that shows up regularly, along with the fact that NO, his “form” is not great. Like a Boone Jenner though, with a commitment to getting his body in good shape, and a consistent “on ice” work ethic and intensity that seems to be there, he can get to point A and B fine. His “hockey IQ” is a whole other conversation.

I think KJ is similar to the other guys that he simply needs to FOCUS on his body/strength/fitness. You can add guys like Marchenko and Voronkov, and to a seemingly lesser extent Mateychuk, just for simply how “small” he is. Johnson and Marchenko are clearly and simply “weak” when looking at NHLers. If, or hopefully when they mature physically, look the f*** out. Marchenko may ultimately lose a bit of speed/acceleration while adding a different element to his game, which could be beneficial. I think Johnson will quite literally look like Panarin as soon as he gets his body in NHL shape, as long as his intensity remains consistent.

Shit, we’ve already seen a guy REALLY commit to his fitness level and the difference in Chinakhov after just about 1 year or so.

Skating, or at least speed, seems like it is very much a “you have it or you don’t” trait, but I’d love for folks to come in and give me some examples to the contrary.

Strength and Conditioning

What you either “have or you don’t” is the WILL to get there. Similar to having the will to get to the slot or the front of the net.

[MOD]

 

[thebus88]

The translation itself isn't bad, but I think the author meant an overall change of style, from offense to more defense, not so much to support offense, focus more on defense..

Well, he plays DEFENSE, so…..

 

[NotCommitted]

@GoJackets1 Barkov is a good example of a guy who was not considered a very good skater, as a prospect he was a rather average at it. I mean he went 2nd OA so it's not like he was a really "bad" skater but compared to the rest of his game it was a weaker area. He spent a full off season working with a figure skating coach of all things to improve his skating and it paid off massively. This was like 2016 or something I think, I think he was 20 or in his very early 20s at least at the time, so it can be done.

 

[tunnelvision]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5820315/2024/10/06/blue-jackets-jenner-voronkov/

Mateychuk’s demotion means that the Blue Jackets will keep Jake Christiansen, Jordan Harris and David Jiricek for at least the start of the season.

But Jiricek, by all accounts, did not have a great camp. In six preseason games, he had zero points and a minus-5 rating. There were worrying signs last week when Evason moved Christiansen and Provorov to the right side of the ice, prompting many to wonder if they were looking at different options.

“It got better as camp went on, but (Jiricek) started really slow,” Waddell said. “It’s gotten better.

“The one thing I keep going back to, and Dean and I have talked about it all through our camp evaluations. … He was such a good player last year for Cleveland. I know it was the AHL, but it’s playoff hockey and he was probably the best player down there.”

Jiricek and the coaching staff had a series of meetings last week to confront what they’d seen throughout training camp and the preseason.

“We know he has skill,” Waddell said. “There’s so much to like about his game, his potential. But he has to play within his limits and also within our system. If he does that, I think he’s going to be fine.

“The coaches worked with him every day last week. They’re doing more video work with him. He protects himself a little bit because he’s not the best skater. He protects himself, and in our system, you can’t do that. You have to trust that you’re going to get help from a forward.”

The Blue Jackets want their defensemen — and not just offensive-minded Zach Werenski — to engage in the play offensively, to carry the puck low and to stay there when there’s a play to be made. But the challenge is to thread the space between aggressive and reckless.

Waddell said he kept Walsh aware that coaches were going to turn it up a notch on Jiricek. It’s important, he knows, for all parties to be on board. Part of that is Jiricek’s willingness to accept constructive criticism from a GM and coach who have long NHL resumes.

“We made it clear to (Jiricek) that if we’re not trying to help him, we’re not doing our job,” Waddell said. “But he’s got to help himself, too.”

 

[majormajor]

He was such a good player last year for Cleveland. I know it was the AHL, but it’s playoff hockey and he was probably the best player down there.

Funny how none of us that were watching those games came to that conclusion. He had some heroic moments, games where you could say he was the most valuable, but most games we thought there were better players on that AHL squad.

He protects himself a little bit because he’s not the best skater.

This is what ruining a prospect looks like. You put them in situations they aren't close to being ready for, so they change their games in ways that reduce their upside.

Waddell said he kept Walsh aware that coaches were going to turn it up a notch on Jiricek. It’s important, he knows, for all parties to be on board. Part of that is Jiricek’s willingness to accept constructive criticism from a GM and coach who have long NHL resumes.

“We made it clear to (Jiricek) that if we’re not trying to help him, we’re not doing our job,” Waddell said. “But he’s got to help himself, too.”

How often does the club have to clear lines of communication through an agent, and have to explain it to a prospect that they're just trying to help?

Maybe this happens more often and it just doesn't get shared with the media, but either way, it's not what you want to hear.