Confirmed Trade: [MIN/CBJ] David Jiricek, 2025 5th round pick for Daemon Hunt, 2025 1st round pick, 2027 2nd round pick, 2026 3rd and 4th round picks

[SoundAndFury]

Or maybe Waddell did an evaluation, saw Jiricek's skating made him a poor fit for the team he is trying to build, and decided to recoup some value before it was too late. The draft position is irrelevant now.

Exactly. Some people are acting like Waddell traded a top-pairing defenseman away rather than the guy whose best possible scenario is becoming one in x amount of years. And frankly, he is unlikely to reach it. Back in the day Jackets traded Filatov away for 3rd round pick, should he have waited for Jiricek's value to plummet like that as well?

Frankly, I think he got a tremendous value and Minnesota is taking a massive risk. It's truly not impossible that Hunt has a better NHL career than Jiricek.

 

[CannonFire1]

Who said draft position is relevant? Other than you trying to recoup value. I guess you don't have much to add to the conversation other than blindly follow Waddell (of all people).

Lol! So the only two options are to assume Waddell is a moron and a pushover, or to blindly follow Waddell? Thanks so much for your insightful contribution.

 

[State of Hockey]

Pretty sure Dean Evason knows how to evaluate talent and the fact the he didn't give him more playing time is pretty f***ing clear that he doesn't think he's ready. If he was pushing back against needing more time and didn't want to play in the AHL to develop more than good riddance.

That Evason was playing him even less than the previous regime is a fact that shouldn't be lost in this. Evason is a very good regular season coach. If he's scratching a guy, he probably isn't deserving of it. Ironic that the GM that believed in Evason is in a way now believing he was wrong with Jiricek.

Sorry, lost me at "agility". He has a lot of tools but the two biggest that really need work are the killers for NHL defensemen. Skating ability and defensive IQ. He may build those in time but from all the reports in Columbus the last three years he has not improved and has, in fact, regressed.

Totally agree. It's the killer flaw for players. And skating at this age is rarely "fixed" or even significantly improved. IQ is also a thing you usually have it or you don't. There's a reason Jiricek doesn't have an NHL highlight reel. One just has to go back and watch plays where his team gets scored on. It's usually a brutal video of his problems with skating, IQ, and lack of physicality. He's the opposite of hard to play against. At this point in his career, he would only be useful on our PP.

This trade makes so little sense for us. He's not a win-in-the-short-term piece, and you just gave away your best assets to get a player like that. He's a win-later maybe, but we already have quite a few prospects in the same age range, and by then is Kaprizov even here and still this good? It's a trade you make in NHL 25.

 

[roon]

That Evason was playing him even less than the previous regime is a fact that shouldn't be lost in this. Evason is a very good regular season coach. If he's scratching a guy, he probably isn't deserving of it. Ironic that the GM that believed in Evason is in a way now believing he was wrong with Jiricek.


Totally agree. It's the killer flaw for players. And skating at this age is rarely "fixed" or even significantly improved. IQ is also a thing you usually have it or you don't. There's a reason Jiricek doesn't have an NHL highlight reel. One just has to go back and watch plays where his team gets scored on. It's usually a brutal video of his problems with skating, IQ, and lack of physicality. He's the opposite of hard to play against. At this point in his career, he would only be useful on our PP.

This trade makes so little sense for us. He's not a win-in-the-short-term piece, and you just gave away your best assets to get a player like that. He's a win-later maybe, but we already have quite a few prospects in the same age range, and by then is Kaprizov even here and still this good? It's a trade you make in NHL 25.

Evason isn't some coach that was ever or should ever be known for his ability to develop players.


Brutal take on the rest of it. Trade makes little sense? What are you talking about? The 1st is pick 25+ with the year we are having and the rest of the picks are throw ins....who cares. If you can get a 6'4 RHD with Jiricek's resume for that package you do it every day with the situation the Wild are in currently. We are no longer stocking cupboards and building a prospect pool. We are entering the Village burning phase and these are the moves to make when you want to do that.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Exactly. Some people are acting like Waddell traded a top-pairing defenseman away rather than the guy whose best possible scenario is becoming one in x amount of years. And frankly, he is unlikely to reach it. Back in the day Jackets traded Filatov away for 3rd round pick, should he have waited for Jiricek's value to plummet like that as well?

Frankly, I think he got a tremendous value and Minnesota is taking a massive risk. It's truly not impossible that Hunt has a better NHL career than Jiricek.

Massive risk seems like an overstatement, even if Hunt ends up better than Jiricek, the Wild are still overwhelmed with LHD in the pool, on top of Brodin and Middleton signed to term. They picked up Chisholm off waivers last season and he is just a better version of Hunt at this point so its not like there aren't similar options available on the market. Buium, Lambos, Peart all have higher ceilings and the time frame for them to contribute is roughly the same as Hunt.

A late first in a weak draft year doesn't move the needle much, most Wild fans here were already expecting to not have that pick. The other picks are also mostly inconsequential as the Wild pool is quite robust at the moment and they had previously gathered up quite a few mid rounders in 2026 and 2027.

 

[paragon]

Good trade for Columbus. Cutting their losses before it's too late.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Massive risk seems like an overstatement, even if Hunt ends up better than Jiricek, the Wild are still overwhelmed with LHD in the pool, on top of Brodin and Middleton signed to term. They picked up Chisholm off waivers last season and he is just a better version of Hunt at this point so its not like there aren't similar options available on the market. Buium, Lambos, Peart all have higher ceilings and the time frame for them to contribute is roughly the same as Hunt.

A late first in a weak draft year doesn't move the needle much, most Wild fans here were already expecting to not have that pick. The other picks are also mostly inconsequential as the Wild pool is quite robust at the moment and they had previously gathered up quite a few mid rounders in 2026 and 2027.

I agree with you, it is an overstatement from this perspective. I just meant that the risk is Jiricek might not pan out the way many people still expect him to, many people in this thread still see him as a top pairing defenseman in the making.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I agree with you, it is an overstatement from this perspective. I just meant that the risk is Jiricek might not pan out the way many people still expect him to, many people in this thread still see him as a top pairing defenseman in the making.

Most Wild fans see him as a top 4 guy that brings size to the team that lacks size. If they get him to be a younger version of Bogo without the injuries then that is a big win.

 

[Maurice of Orange]

Wild head coach John Hynes told reporters, that Jiricek is expected to join the team’s practices on Monday.

 

[Napoli]

How in the world could you know this when he was in the pressbox every game. This sounds like you're trying to convince yourself your team didn't just get bent over.

Lol.

If you watched any game of Jiricek this year you'd realize he was an absolute liability defensively. Couple that with terrible pinches and he was a disaster.

He may improve but you cannot say he's good this year. There was a reason he wasn't playing.

 

[HFpapi]

Biuim Jiricek and Faber is a nice future D core if everyone pans out. Faber already looking great

With Kaprizov, Boldy, JEE, and Rossi up front, 15 million in dead cap coming off the books this upcoming offseason, and all the while already sitting 2nd place in the entire league right now.

The Wild are insanely well situated. If they play their cards right they might finally make a final or win a cup in the next 3 seasons.

 

[McShogun99]

With Kaprizov, Boldy, JEE, and Rossi up front, 15 million in dead cap coming off the books this upcoming offseason, and all the while already sitting 2nd place in the entire league right now.

The Wild are insanely well situated. If they play their cards right they might finally make a final or win a cup in the next 3 seasons.

What Wild management have been able to accomplish with all that dead cap has been outstanding.

 

[ole ole]

I keep seeing this comment and have to disagree a bit.

I was definitely one of the CBJ fans clamoring for a 1 for 1. I did not want a package like this. That doesn't mean the value wasn't right.

Example, I thought the perfect fit (for CBJ, not sure what Seattle needs) was Shane Wright. Thought that was a very fair 1 for 1. Would Minnesota give a 1, 2, 3, 4, and decent defensemen prospect for Wright? I doubt it.

The value here is perfectly fine, I just hope DW uses some of these picks for players that can help next year, not guys in 2030.

As bad as Wright has been i'd rather have Wright and a 5th over a late 1st, and [ really what value does a 2nd,3rd,4th hold ] and a much lesser prospect.

 

[ole ole]

The Roman Empire was great but their descendants don’t even have a seat at the big boys table these days

We' re still at he table. Min has never sat at the top of the table. We have, period.
Now back to the thread post.

I think CBJ fans wanted Rossi, but didn't expect him.

I thought the deal was more than fair for CBJ. If Jiricek doesn't develop into a legit 3-4 at the very least within the next 2-3 years then MN overpaid. Like all deals involving prospects and picks, we just don't know who the final winner of this deal will be for another 4-5 years.

Only time will tell. Good luck to both teams.

 

[ole ole]

Pretty hard to evaluate this trade.

A lot of unknown quantities here, beginning with David Jiricek. What kind of player will he be? Not yet known.

Maybe both sides are happy with what they've acquired.

Well said.

 

[ole ole]

With Kaprizov, Boldy, JEE, and Rossi up front, 15 million in dead cap coming off the books this upcoming offseason, and all the while already sitting 2nd place in the entire league right now.

The Wild are insanely well situated. If they play their cards right they might finally make a final or win a cup in the next 3 seasons.

All in all ya have to admit they are looking good.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

I guess Columbus didn't like Jiricek and would rather have picks

 

[roon]

We' re still at he table. Min has never sat at the top of the table. We have, period.
Now back to the thread post.

3 things in life that are certain.

Death, Taxes, and Montreal fans making any and every thread about the Habs.

 

[TheNumber4]

Sorry, lost me at "agility". He has a lot of tools but the two biggest that really need work are the killers for NHL defensemen. Skating ability and defensive IQ. He may build those in time but from all the reports in Columbust the last three years he has not improved and has, in fact, regressed. The questions about him wanting to be given a spot and not earn it tells me he needs a reboot and kick in the ass. Maybe this is a wakeup call and he has a new opportunity to reach his potential. What I think several lose sight of in Columbus was they drafted 4 big, mobile defensemen in last years draft and I don't think that was a coincidence with the system they were planning to build. Jiricek wasn't likely to get to where they needed him and he wasn't able to take ice time from Harris or Jack Johnson. That's...not good.

This doesn't mean he sucks or is a bust but the flags are significant and the longer it went it's possible it only lowered other's view of him. Unfortunate for CBJ and maybe a great option for the Wild.

Yeh agility. 4 way agility. He moves and pivots quick for a big man. That lack has held many big D men back in the past.

A good system and good coaching can cover for defensive IQ and positioning issues. That’ll come down to coaching. We have that in Edmonton and it’s making 3rd pair defenceman like Ceci, Stetcher, Emberson, and Kulak play like top 4 without issue.

I think he needs more acceleration. That can be trained and developed.

 

[ole ole]

3 things in life that are certain.

Death, Taxes, and Montreal fans making any and every thread about the Habs.

Hey it was a Minny fan dragging us into it. Go poop on his party and lets all try to stay on the subject.

 

[Ita]

Hunt is pretty good and still young. A 1st plus a 2nd is nothing to scoff at either.

It’s a very late 1st this year..

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Pick needs to stay in the 20's.

 

[ViD]

Atm Hunt alone is better than Jiricek and CBJ got a handful of picks on top.

That’s a ridiculous statement

 

[CBJx614]

The Jets don't cave. Not for Kane, not for Trouba, not for Laine, and not for PLD. They have to wait until it's the right thing for the team.

I'm not overreacting. That's Waddell's job apparently. He isn't doing an evaluation. He's freaking out and burning assets and becoming a pushover for anyone who wants out.

Good for the Jets, you do realize there's more than one way to develop and put together a team? Kane, Laine and PLD were proven NHL talents with very little questions about their ability to play in the NHL. Entirely different situations.

Jiriceks ability to hold down a roster spot is in question. If management and the player don't see eye to eye about their ability to play in the NHL, it just might be better for both parties to move on. Jiricek is now a roster where he'll have an opportunity to get minutes, we'll see how he plays on Minnesota. And the Jackets add a plethora of picks moving forward and from all accounts an NHL ready prospect who is going to immediately slot in at the top of the blueline on one of the best teams in the AHL.

Also think that even Jiricek will realize that he isn't going to supplant Faber or Spurgeon, and sooner or later someone will take Jiricek aside and say, "See Bogosian, that guy you are trying to beat out for minutes? He was a 3rd overall pick. Faber was a 2nd rounder, and spent three years in college after being drafted. Spurgeon was drafted in the 6th round, and his team didn't even offer him a contract. He is now the all time leader in goals, assists, and games for a Wild Dman."

If he isn't a complete knucklehead, he will realize that it's what you do after you are drafted, not where you are drafted, that is important.

I think that's part of the issue, they tried telling him that in Columbus and he apparently didn't agree or want to hear it. Maybe they can finally get it through to him but we'll see.

Evason isn't some coach that was ever or should ever be known for his ability to develop players.


Brutal take on the rest of it. Trade makes little sense? What are you talking about? The 1st is pick 25+ with the year we are having and the rest of the picks are throw ins....who cares. If you can get a 6'4 RHD with Jiricek's resume for that package you do it every day with the situation the Wild are in currently. We are no longer stocking cupboards and building a prospect pool. We are entering the Village burning phase and these are the moves to make when you want to do that.

Once again, Jiricek couldn't even beat a burnt out Jack Johnson and a 6-7th dman in Harris on the Jackets roster, a roster that was expected to be at the top of the lottery race. If you want Jiricek to play D, he's a liability. They wanted him to go to Cleveland to work on the defensive aspect of his game so he's not a complete liability out there. He's not strong enough on his skates or in general to play his style in the NHL. He's not physical, at all. So that 6'4 frame means he's easy to push around without any weight or strength behind it.

 

[thestonedkoala]

The need for fans to win or lose a trade is crazy for me especially right after the trade. This is a trade that won't be known for a long long time.