Player Discussion: David Jiricek

Cheddarcheese

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Oct 24, 2023
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Well let's assume you get paid 80k a year for your job, if you had two choices, either get a 1m raise now or hone your craft for one more year getting paid 80k and then get a 1m raise, which option would you choose? :D

Seriously though, that's a big difference in pay and while 80k a year is good money, it doesn't really set you up for the future the way 1m does in case your career ends abruptly. If I were an AHL player I wouldn't want to spend a day longer in that league than I have to - that is if the other option was NHL.
There ways to make more, you see other teams call up players for a day so they receive NHL paycheck
 

CBJWerenski8

Rest in Peace Johnny
Jun 13, 2009
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The Blue Jackets coaching staff would never say this, but it’s clear they don’t have a lot of trust in Jiricek. His ice time in his three previous games went the wrong direction, from 17:05 vs. the Capitals to 9:15 vs. the Sharks and 8:50 vs. the Kings.

In five games, he has zero goals, one assist and a minus-2 rating, while averaging 11:47 per game.

“We have to think about what’s best for (Jiricek) right now,” Waddell said. “Obviously playing 8-10 minutes isn’t ideal. He’s 20 years old, and he still makes a 20-year-old’s mistakes.

“We’ll sit down (later this week) and talk about it, but we’re not going to make any decisions until we get home.”

Jiricek bristled last season when the Blue Jackets sent him to AHL Cleveland, so one can only wonder how he’d handle a demotion one year later.

In fairness, the Jackets have given Jiricek every chance to claim a top-four job on the right side from the beginning of training camp, but he hasn’t grabbed it. It’s possible — not likely, but possible — that Jiricek would prefer playing heavy minutes in the AHL vs. barely playing in the NHL.

Waddell, a veteran GM, isn’t likely to be swayed by how a player or his agent would handle an assignment to the AHL.

Still, it would be preferable to keep the peace with one of the franchise’s top prospects, a player who is projected as a top-pairing defender with a big power-play role. But Jiricek has not bloomed into that player yet in the NHL, only the AHL.
 

LJ7

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Mar 19, 2021
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Cleveland or trade. The franchise nor Jiricek (whether he and his agent acknowledge it or not) do not have time to waste by playing him in a league that he can't hang in. I really like his playstyle and have badly wanted him to work out since we picked him, so I don't want to see him just fail every night in a league he isn't ready for.
 

Aaaarrgghh

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Jul 17, 2022
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Would y'all be interested in a Lawson Crouse for Jiricek type of deal, or nah?
Unless Jiricek demands a trade, Columbus will just hold on to him. If there would be a trade, I'd think the price would be substantially higher than that. As a potential top-pairing RHD, Jiricek is quite unique in the Blue Jackets prospect pool. Something around a Nemec, Levshunov, Willander+ or Yakemchuk+, I'd say. If we're talking players, I'd think someone like Rasmus Andersson or even Evan Bouchard (CBJ would add, obviously) would have to be included at the moment.
 
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AnonCommentary

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Jun 4, 2024
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Taking this from Reddit but here’s something.

They talked about him (Jiricek) on 32 Thoughts today, and they are being very careful with their words, but they seem to side with Columbus on this one. It’s long, but here’s some quotes if anyone is interested. My interpretation is “Columbus is trying to do things differently. Their coach has the right to do that. I am seeing positive results - Evason is on the right track here - I have no issue with what he’s doing - That doesn’t change the fact that he wants to play - they’ve come to an impasse here”

“one of the things that I do believe about the Blue Jackets, and I believe some of the veterans have asked about it there too, is they want to tougher and a higher standard, right? And, you know, young kids want to play. They, you know, like you said, he’s 21 years old.

You don’t want to lose him. And you forget that he got hurt the year of his draft, and he probably would have gone even higher. That’s right.

If he hadn’t. So you’ve got a bunch of veterans there asking for a tougher standard. You got Evason who’s a demanding coach, and you’ve got a kid who wants to play, and kids represented by Alan Walsh, who’s no shrinking violet either.”

“And I’ll say, like, I mean, as much as and everything that Columbus has dealt with over the last few months, Elliotte, and though it was a tough trip out west for them over the last little while here, when I was down there for the home opener, like you got a sense that there was like, there is a certain effort and how they go about things, you know, despite results haven’t been where they would want it to be the last few years, that I thought was impressive in how they’re going about approaching things. So when you mention about the veterans kind of having a standard of what they want to see and the coaching staff too, that doesn’t surprise me in the least bit.

I don’t have a problem at all with a coach saying, like, these are my 18 best players or these are my 18 most deserving players, and they deserve to be in the lineup. I have no issue with that. I have no problem with Dean Evason trying to set a standard for the way the Columbus Blue Jackets should prepare and play.”

“I have no issue with that. This is simply just a realization that you come to a fork in the road sometimes with a player, and how is it going to go? And that’s, you know, ultimately the player is going to want to play.”
 
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ViD

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Having him in the press box doing absolutely nothing but agitates him, either play him in the big club or send him to Cleveland by I - 71
 

Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
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So here's a hypothetical for folks who're already done with Jiricek to consider: what would folks here think of a deal that basically breaks down to Jiricek for Jusse Saros?

Personally, I'd flinch because while I could see it working out, I could also see it being disastrous for both sides. But I'm curious as to what other folks here think. In particular, I'm not sure how popular the notion of If We Just Had Goaltending Everything Would Be Better is around here.
 

Fred Glover

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So here's a hypothetical for folks who're already done with Jiricek to consider: what would folks here think of a deal that basically breaks down to Jiricek for Jusse Saros?

Personally, I'd flinch because while I could see it working out, I could also see it being disastrous for both sides. But I'm curious as to what other folks here think. In particular, I'm not sure how popular the notion of If We Just Had Goaltending Everything Would Be Better is around here.
It would be better
Exponentially better
In football if you don’t have a quarterback you are sunk
In baseball if you don’t have pitching you suck
You absolutely must have good goaltending to win games
It is the foundation upon which you build your team
And if you have excess you can deal from a position of strength
If you believe Saros is available and that type of foundational piece you do it
 
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NotCommitted

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He needs to play and not some 8min TOI bullshit. It just makes no sense. He should either be in Cleveland or get a decent run of games with the Jackets with some actual ice time and responsibility and leash to make mistakes and opportunity to show he learns from them. Then evaluate after 10 games or whatever.

The concerning part of it all is the Jackets have both new GM and a new coach and still seemingly can't figure out a path forward with the player that makes any kind of sense for an outside observer. I can't help but wonder if that's because the player is very difficult to work with.
 

Doggy

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Oct 11, 2011
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So here's a hypothetical for folks who're already done with Jiricek to consider: what would folks here think of a deal that basically breaks down to Jiricek for Jusse Saros?

Personally, I'd flinch because while I could see it working out, I could also see it being disastrous for both sides. But I'm curious as to what other folks here think. In particular, I'm not sure how popular the notion of If We Just Had Goaltending Everything Would Be Better is around here.
Help me understand why the Preds would do this?
  • They still have a roster built to win now and Scott Wedgewood isn't going to take them there
  • They just traded Askarov, Nashville fans would go ballistic if the team then moved Saros, that's killing the present and the future.
    • And don't tell me Magnus Chrona, yes he is off to a great start this season, the kid had a 3.50 GAA and .894 Save Percentage just last season. He is far from a slam dunk. Maybe he's a budding NHL starter or maybe he has caught fire for fifteen AHL games and then will revert back.
  • I am not sure Jiricek has that much value to other teams right now. He's young and I expect him to improve but I am not sure anyone is giving us tremendous value for him in a trade.
  • Despite Preds struggles, Saros is still a top half of the league goalie
  • My only concern (and it's a major concern) is that Saros is 29 and his eight year deal doesn't kick in until next season so he will be 38 when his deal expires.
If I am Columbus I strongly consider this but need to find a way to move Elvis and if I am Nashville there is no way I make this deal. That said, I think the league is trying to move away from eight year deals (watch for it in the next CBA fight) and I could see teams avoiding committing to long term deals that take players past their 34-35 age except for superstars.
 
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Viqsi

"that chick from Ohio"
Oct 5, 2007
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Help me understand why the Preds would do this?
  • They still have a roster built to win now and Scott Wedgewood isn't going to take them there
  • They just traded Askarov, Nashville fans would go ballistic if the team then moved Saros, that's killing the present and the future.
    • And don't tell me Magnus Chrona, yes he is off to a great start this season, the kid had a 3.50 GAA and .894 Save Percentage just last season. He is far from a slam dunk. Maybe he's a budding NHL starter or maybe he has caught fire for fifteen AHL games and then will revert back.
  • I am not sure Jiricek has that much value to other teams right now. He's young and I expect him to improve but I am not sure anyone is giving us tremendous value for him in a trade.
  • Despite Preds struggles, Saros is still a top half of the league goalie
  • My only concern (and it's a major concern) is that Saros is 29 and his eight year deal doesn't kick in until next season so he will be 38 when his deal expires.
If I am Columbus I strongly consider this but need to find a way to move Elvis and if I am Nashville there is no way I make this deal. That said, I think the league is trying to move away from eight year deals (watch for it in the next CBA fight) and I could see teams avoiding committing to long term deals that take players past their 34-35 age except for superstars.
It got suggested to me by other Preds fans. Saros' contract is... deeply unpopular, to say the least, and some folks want to out and out tank. See again re: I could see it being disastrous for both sides.
 

cbjthrowaway

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Jul 4, 2020
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So here's a hypothetical for folks who're already done with Jiricek to consider: what would folks here think of a deal that basically breaks down to Jiricek for Jusse Saros?
anyone-have-the-would-meme-with-text-in-high-quality-v0-5qnb8n6a2btd1.png
 
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cbjthrowaway

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Jul 4, 2020
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The concerning part of it all is the Jackets have both new GM and a new coach and still seemingly can't figure out a path forward with the player that makes any kind of sense for an outside observer. I can't help but wonder if that's because the player is very difficult to work with.
this new regime gave jiricek a ton of chances, but he's still on the roster here even though he's barely playing. so they've ended up in a similar situation to last year. and when he was in the AHL there were a ton of quotes about how coachable he was.

my guess? that the agent is being a pain in the ass and they're keeping him on the roster to avoid a big scene. not sure how sustainable that is, though.

i think he's looked a lot better this year than last year tbf. he has some real skill and is figuring out how to use it at the NHL level. he's also still making mistakes, but:
  1. if you tell a player to "earn" ice time while also giving them ~3 shifts a period… well, they're going to be forcing things while they're out there. if a guy is in the lineup, play him.
  2. they can talk about setting a standard all they want, but severson made about 4 or 5 plays last night that would've gotten jiricek benched, and he played almost 27 minutes.
i'd definitely prefer to see a mateychuk-jiricek pairing in cleveland playing 25 minutes a night, and i think it's clearly heading that way once kj comes off of IR.

also wouldn't be surprised if they trade him, though. i think jiricek for byram makes a lot of sense. would also like guhle on montreal. two teams that need RHD.
 
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CBJWerenski8

Rest in Peace Johnny
Jun 13, 2009
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pass on Saros.

The easiest and best solution is to make it work here with Jiricek. Hes only 20 years old people. There’s no rush here just because he wasn’t an immediate stud like Werenski was. He needs to play and train. Send him to Cleveland and let him work out the issues.
 

NotCommitted

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Jul 4, 2013
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The easiest and best solution is to make it work here with Jiricek. Hes only 20 years old people. There’s no rush here just because he wasn’t an immediate stud like Werenski was. He needs to play and train. Send him to Cleveland and let him work out the issues.

I agree and the problem here is not Jiricek not being a stud at 20-years old but Jiricek playing in 1/3 of the games and averaging 11 minutes a game in when he is in the roster. That does not look like some kind of sensible development plan for a young D-man. If he was playing a few games with decent ice time and sitting a few etc. I could be convinced they actually have some kind of plan for him and his development.

But this? This is not a plan, or if it is, I don't remember a case where it worked out for a D-man but I can think of many where it didn't and the development of the player was completely stalled. If he's not good enough for some decent minutes in the NHL on a regular basis, he needs to be in the AHL and come back when he can be dominant there.
 
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cbjthrowaway

Registered User
Jul 4, 2020
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The easiest and best solution is to make it work here with Jiricek. Hes only 20 years old people. There’s no rush here just because he wasn’t an immediate stud like Werenski was. He needs to play and train. Send him to Cleveland and let him work out the issues.
devil's advocate here – look at how the last two cup champs were built. it's not by being patient and trying to bring along a dozen prospects at a time.

florida and vegas both built strong rosters by identifying unheralded players who could bring excess value. verhaeghe, forsling, reinhart, bennett, marchment, the original 'misfits' in vegas, etc.

the reason that works is because:
  1. they let someone else develop those guys first
  2. they pursued star players to give them strength at the top of the roster (tkachuk, eichel, pietrangelo, bobrovsky)
  3. they had opportunities for those players instead of using the NHL as a developmental league for their own guys

the jackets have some unheralded pulls of their own (fabbro, olivier, danforth). i'd argue they're better off consolidating some of the young guys to get true top-of-the-lineup pieces, then get excess value in backfilling those spots with mid-20s change-of-scenery guys like fabbro.

if an eichel or tkachuk type player hits the market (mid-20s star) jiricek is probably the most suitable centerpiece for a trade package in the league given his age, handedness, size and skill.

that route (or even a 1-for-1 for a less shiny but more established piece like byram) seems preferable to the status quo here, or to hoping that he magically figures it out in the AHL and then comes back. i'd rather extend fabbro and add value by moving jiricek out tbh.
 
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CBJWerenski8

Rest in Peace Johnny
Jun 13, 2009
43,772
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devil's advocate here – look at how the last two cup champs were built. it's not by being patient and trying to bring along a dozen prospects at a time.

florida and vegas both built strong rosters by identifying unheralded players who could bring excess value. verhaeghe, forsling, reinhart, bennett, marchment, the original 'misfits' in vegas, etc.

the reason that works is because:
  1. they let someone else develop those guys first
  2. they pursued star players to give them strength at the top of the roster (tkachuk, eichel, pietrangelo, bobrovsky)
  3. they had opportunities for those players instead of using the NHL as a developmental league for their own guys

the jackets have some unheralded pulls of their own (fabbro, olivier, danforth). i'd argue they're better off consolidating some of the young guys to get true top-of-the-lineup pieces, then get excess value in backfilling those spots with mid-20s change-of-scenery guys like fabbro.

if an eichel or tkachuk type player hits the market (mid-20s star) jiricek is probably the most suitable centerpiece for a trade package in the league given his age, handedness, size and skill.

that route (or even a 1-for-1 for a less shiny but more established piece like byram) seems preferable to the status quo here, or to hoping that he magically figures it out in the AHL and then comes back. i'd rather extend fabbro and add value by moving jiricek out tbh.
I am perfectly fine with trying bold things to get better. But before we do that we have to establish an identity and identify our core guys. If we want to be bold this offseason, have at it, but right now we should still be in assess mode. Jiricek shouldn’t be seen as an untouchable asset but we shouldn’t be looking to get him out of here either.

For example, in the offseason if Edmonton wants to do a deal center around a signed Bouchard for Jiricek+? I’m all in.
 

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