The situation is getting complicated between the Columbus Blue Jackets and promising defenseman David Jiricek, one wonders if the almost 21-year-old will not be traded, less than three years after being the sixth overall pick in the draft of 2022.
Jiricek, a 6’4” right-handed guard with great offensive skills as well as the ability to distribute solid hits, watched the Jackets’ last two games from the bridge.
• Also read: CH hopeful: Logan Sawyer scores his first NCAA goal
• Also read: An old record by Jacques Plante beaten by Vasilevskiy
He has only played five games this season, playing on average less than 12 minutes per game.
What complicates his situation even more is that it was the Jackets who claimed Dante Fabbro, another right-handed guard, on waivers a few days ago, and they now have eight defensemen on their roster.
With forward Kent Johnson’s imminent return to play, the organization might even be tempted to return Jiricek to the American League, something he didn’t like when it happened last season.
What’s more, the team’s coach, Dean Evason, appreciated Fabbro’s debut in his new uniform.
Jiricek, on the contrary, seems more or less in his good graces. Evason believes the Czech needs to do more to deserve his playing time.
“After [chacun de ses matchs]we sat down and looked at all his presences, he explained recently to Columbus Dispatch. We teach and we communicate what we need from each player, but from him, in particular… so yes, if you want to play, you have to earn the right to be on the ice and play games. »
“The crossroads”
Renowned Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman spoke about the Jiricek case Friday during his podcast 32 Thoughtsrecalling firstly that the general manager who had drafted Jiricek and who was more attached to him, Jarmo Kekalainen, was replaced by Don Waddell last summer.
“You can see that the player is starting to get irritated and the team, for its part, is trying to set higher standards,” he explained.
“It’s a difficult situation for Columbus, because you see the skill and talent of the player and at this age, it’s way too early to give up on him,” he added. But we can see… Fabbro needed a fresh start and Jiricek is there too.”
“You come to a crossroads sometimes with a player, and where are we going to go? Ultimately, the player wants to play. We will have to find a solution,” he then summarized.
Friedman believes Jiricek’s situation is still exceptional and is attracting attention across the league.
“Usually, young people like that don’t become available so quickly after being chosen sixth overall,” he said. So I guarantee you that there are people who are watching this and who are curious to know where it is going.
Good for the “plan”?
Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens, currently dead last in the general NHL standings, are going through a rocky phase of the famous reconstruction “plan” put together by its hockey decision-makers, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton.
Certainly, the team has many prospects in defense, but the pool is a little thinner in terms of right-handers and the injury suffered by the promising David Reinbacher, during training camp, risks slowing down the development of the Austrian 20 years old.
Currently, David Savard is the only right-handed guard getting regular playing time at the NHL level. Justin Barron is the other right-hander with the team right now and he isn’t in the lineup often, while Logan Mailloux remains in the American League for the moment working on his defensive game.
The Habs often find themselves with left-handers playing on the right, which is not ideal.
Earlier this week, Hughes said in a press briefing that he did not intend to make a transaction strictly in order to revive the team during the current difficult period it is experiencing.
“Of course when you lose, you want to give everything to your team to improve their chances, but we have to be patient and stay on our plan. We will not do short-term things that will harm our long-term objectives,” he declared.
However, the acquisition of a player who has Jiricek’s profile would have the advantage of suiting the plan and would not do any immediate harm either.
And since the relationship between Hughes and Waddell is undoubtedly good after the two men concluded, last summer, the transaction which brought Patrik Laine to Montreal…
Could Hughes be among those closely following the Jiricek case?
The young man has too much talent to be ignored by an organization with objectives like those of the CH.
Related News :