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RD David Jiricek (2022, 6th, CBJ; traded to MIN)

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MNRube said:
Hard not to be enthused by what you saw last 2 games. He’s clunky as a skater but his instincts are good and he’s confident, even in his debut with a new team. It’s been said a thousand times, but a summer of strength training and maturation (I still think he’s growing into his body) should work wonders. Pair him with Brodin down the line, and he will have a perfect safety net to be aggressive.
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There's no doubt that he would be incredible if he was a good skater and had an advanced physique, so I understand the room for optimism there. But he's also been doing skating and weight training in the AHL for two and half years now, not just in the summers. It's not like the Jackets didn't think of that, they knew that was the problem.

Sometimes guys don't get the right hormonal balance to fill out until they're well into their 20s, that could be it for Jiricek. This surprises people because he was always a big broad shouldered kid who played physical hockey in Czechia, but in terms of development timeline he has more in common with your typical smallish prospect.

The skating is hardwired wrong. It hasn't improved much in years of skating training and I think it might never come. Just my personal theory - but I think a lot of guys can't get away from the bad technique because they're playing games, and under pressure the bad wiring reactivates. This is especially true for highly competitive players like Jiricek. So I always wonder if they can make a breakthrough if they have something like 6-8 months of skating training without games.
 
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majormajor said:
There's no doubt that he would be incredible if he was a good skater and had an advanced physique, so I understand the room for optimism there. But he's also been doing skating and weight training in the AHL for two and half years now, not just in the summers. It's not like the Jackets didn't think of that, they knew that was the problem.

Sometimes guys don't get the right hormonal balance to fill out until they're well into their 20s, that could be it for Jiricek. This surprises people because he was always a big broad shouldered kid who played physical hockey in Czechia, but in terms of development timeline he has more in common with your typical smallish prospect.

The skating is hardwired wrong. It hasn't improved much in years of skating training and I think it might never come. Just my personal theory - but I think a lot of guys can't get away from the bad technique because they're playing games, and under pressure the bad wiring reactivates. This is especially true for highly competitive players like Jiricek. So I always wonder if they can make a breakthrough if they have something like 6-8 months of skating training without games.
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I’d agree with you if it wasn’t painfully obvious he isn’t built like an NHLer - look at him in a t-shirt and it’s clear he’s not putting in work to build muscle. Maybe he is still growing into his body, in which case he may not find his stride until his mid-20s, like you said. Or, he’s not dedicated during the offseason. I don’t buy that Columbus was the problem, but plenty of players thrive with a change of scenery and a fresh start. Maybe he becomes a Byfuglien type of rover, who develops slower.
 
MNRube said:
look at him in a t-shirt and it’s clear he’s not putting in work to build muscle.
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You can't always tell - sometimes for 20 year olds the results just don't come. The same kid might try it again at 22 and absolutely pop. And that's with other aspects like diet held constant.
 
He ends up in Iowa for sure but he's on PP2 right now. That's kind of the thing he needs. Some PP action. If he's not doing any PP work and just playing bottom pair and dumping it out.. he's misused. I saw the same with Bouchard in Edmonton.

The logjam in Minnesota for D next season is insane. I'm curious if they trade a D or 2 to improve other areas for a playoff run because they have a glutten of strong D.

Hoping he gets game 5 tomorrow in Nashville before the inevitable farm send down!
 
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Czechboy said:
He ends up in Iowa for sure but he's on PP2 right now. That's kind of the thing he needs. Some PP action. If he's not doing any PP work and just playing bottom pair and dumping it out.. he's misused. I saw the same with Bouchard in Edmonton.

The logjam in Minnesota for D next season is insane. I'm curious if they trade a D or 2 to improve other areas for a playoff run because they have a glutten of strong D.

Hoping he gets game 5 tomorrow in Nashville before the inevitable farm send down!
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I'd say he'll need to improve his edge work significantly over the off-season if he's going to make the team. If he doesn't, that's one less D they'll need to trade.

Besides that, with the injuries the Wild have had on defense this year, I think they'll be more reluctant to move a defenseman than they would have been had the injuries not occurred. That may make it hard for Jiricek and Buium to make the team, but... so be it. I'd rather overcook them than have them getting beaten down nightly at the NHL level for a year or two.
 
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BagHead said:
I'd say he'll need to improve his edge work significantly over the off-season if he's going to make the team. If he doesn't, that's one less D they'll need to trade.

Besides that, with the injuries the Wild have had on defense this year, I think they'll be more reluctant to move a defenseman than they would have been had the injuries not occurred. That may make it hard for Jiricek and Buium to make the team, but... so be it. I'd rather overcook them than have them getting beaten down nightly at the NHL level for a year or two.
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Overcooking high end prospects in the minors while playing veterans is a recipe for disaster in a cap world.

FTR... I wasn't saying make trades to make room for Jiricek. I expect him to finish in AHL this season and don't think he's in the playoff starting 6 conversation at all. But I keep reading Kaprizov should win Hart because he doesn't have anything around him like a Drai and Rantanan up front. Wild may want to consider trading a great D for a great F to even that out. They can lose a strong D and still have a great D core. I feel the same about Boston who have much stronger D than F.
 
Czechboy said:
He ends up in Iowa for sure but he's on PP2 right now. That's kind of the thing he needs. Some PP action. If he's not doing any PP work and just playing bottom pair and dumping it out.. he's misused. I saw the same with Bouchard in Edmonton.

The logjam in Minnesota for D next season is insane. I'm curious if they trade a D or 2 to improve other areas for a playoff run because they have a glutten of strong D.

Hoping he gets game 5 tomorrow in Nashville before the inevitable farm send down!
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Two of the RHD ahead of him are 34 and 35 yo. Spurgeon is vg, but has had a lot of injuries both this year and last. Bogo has a history of being injured, even when young, but has been oddly healthy for the Wild. Still, he is a good 3rd pairing Dman at this point. If Jiricek is any good, he should be able to carve out a spot on MN, and he will have an easier time doing it with a Brodin or Middleton as a partner rather than going to a team that leaves their Dmen alone on an island.

It's up to Jiricek. Wild aren't trading any Dmen to create a job opening for him....he's simply not good enough right now. If they were to trade him i think that it would be a red flag to other teams, and he would be worth substantially less than what CBJ received... they would get a similarly disappointing forward prospect in return.

Next year the 15M cap penalties finally expire, and MN will be able to sign a FA forward or two.
 
57special said:
Wild aren't trading any Dmen to create a job opening for him
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Correct. Never said they should. Never said they would. It's a beauty D core he can't crack right now.

I just think Wild could have a Cup run if everyone gets healthy and they need another high end F for that (same as Boston).
 
Czechboy said:
Correct. Never said they should. Never said they would. It's a beauty D core he can't crack right now.

I just think Wild could have a Cup run if everyone gets healthy and they need another high end F for that (same as Boston).
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Next year, maybe, or if Ohgren all of a sudden becomes something.

If MN is healthy, and gets good goaltending they are a good team...who knows, that might be enough this year. I don't think so, but I also don't see any one team that is unbeatable.
 
I know a lot of Czech hockey fans who are just as high on Spacek as they are on Jiricek. What's the consensus here. Does he have actual competition from Spacek on making the team?
 
Sombastate said:
I know a lot of Czech hockey fans who are just as high on Spacek as they are on Jiricek. What's the consensus here. Does he have actual competition from Spacek on making the team?
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I would hope so. It can be argued that Spacek is playing better right now, but that Jiricek is considered to have a higher ceiling.

Spacek is a bit of a AAAA player. Not big, strong, or fast enough to demand NHL time, and his defensive play is decent, but nothing more at the AHL level. Offense is good, but not outstanding. He has taken over for Daemon Hunt, in that regard, and Hunt is faster, bigger, and stronger.

Spacek is not helped by playing on a poor AHL team. The defense is 30th out of 32 in GA. I don't know if Spacek is part of the problem down there, or if it is on the rest of the team, or the first time HC.
 
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Using NHL.com here which is 'iffy' at times.

Looks like Jiricek is on third pair and Dermott is a healthy scratch. I honestly thought Jiricek would be first cut. He's paired with Merrel. They seem to be giving him for looks than I was anticipating so that is a good day! How long are Spurgeon and Brodin meant to be out for? They are the 2RD miles ahead of him, right? Is the right side meant to be Spurgeon, Brodin and Bogo? Or do I have a wrong side for someone?
 
Czechboy said:
Using NHL.com here which is 'iffy' at times.

Looks like Jiricek is on third pair and Dermott is a healthy scratch. I honestly thought Jiricek would be first cut. He's paired with Merrel. They seem to be giving him for looks than I was anticipating so that is a good day! How long are Spurgeon and Brodin meant to be out for? They are the 2RD miles ahead of him, right? Is the right side meant to be Spurgeon, Brodin and Bogo? Or do I have a wrong side for someone?
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I think it's Faber not Brodin?
 
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Sombastate said:
I know a lot of Czech hockey fans who are just as high on Spacek as they are on Jiricek. What's the consensus here. Does he have actual competition from Spacek on making the team?
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We are high on him and love him but we know he's a notch below Jiricek, Jiricek, Svozil and Mrtka eventually. It does kind of suck because this was meant to be his 'cup of coffee' year and I think he may have got a callup with all the Right Side Injuries. Maybe a game or 2. Spacek is like his dad, good at everything but not elite at any one thing. He's a safe bet and a good hand. He ran a beauty PP on the way to gold at the Mens Worlds last year.. he was exceptional there but also scared the shit out of us at times with rookie D lapses.lol

However, Minny drafted Spaced with a late round pick and paid a big a price for Jiricek. So I don't think the org views Spacek as competiion. If they were as high on him as someone like me then they probably don't even trade for jiricek at all. Spacek is a nice bonus for them and may eventually make it. They have higher hopes for Jiricek IMO. Which they should.

Worth noting that Czech D is at an all time low point and being the 8th best Czech dman is not exactly a compliment.lol We are weak on D and hoping for a lot of guys to develop in next 2 years. Spacek is one of them.
 


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Imagine when he learns to skate and takes leg day seriously!
 
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Edge-work and balance aren’t great, but he can motor when he gets going. Similarly, he’s good behind the net but struggles with coverage in front and with clearing the puck. Seems to me that the majority of issues can be fixed with maturity and patience. Likable player, very confident.
 
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