The sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft, Jiricek was demoted to the AHL last week after posting just one assist in six games with the Jackets. He was often out of the lineup this fall despite his good physical health.
Since joining the Cleveland Monsters, he has a goal and an assist in two games.
Last season, the defender played 43 games with Columbus. He accumulated 1 goal and nine assists during this time. Before that, in his rookie year in 2022-2023, he was shut out of the scoresheet in four games.
According to TSN’s under-24 prospect rankings, Jiricek would be the seventh player on the Jackets behind Adam Fantilli, Cayden Lindstrom, Denton Mateychuk, Kent Johnson, Yegor Chinakhov and Luca Marrelli.
It remains to be seen the value of the 20-year-old defender on the market and whether the offers will be attractive to the management of the Jackets.
