Patrick WilliamsFeatures Writer for TheAHL.com
That's exactly what the Columbus Blue Jackets thought David Jiricek this spring: high-pressure, intense Calder Cup Playoff hockey with the Cleveland Monsters.
To get past Belleville in the division semifinals, Cleveland needed to win in overtime and double overtime and a one-goal advantage until the empty netter won the series.
Eliminating Syracuse in the division finals, the Monsters won 1-0 in Game 1 and rallied for four third-period goals to win 6-4 in the high-scoring Game 3.
Next up is the defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears in the Eastern Conference Finals, a best-of-seven series against an opponent that has completed two rounds of playoff competition.
Jiricek, a 20-year-old defenseman who was the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, scored a goal in Game 3 against Belleville and has four assists in his seven playoff games, but Columbus wants him to do it in Cleveland. more than producing points.
“It's something new,” Jiricek said. “I enjoy it. Just keep going.”
During the Monsters' Calder Cup run in 2016, he was 18 Zach Werenski he joined the team from the University of Michigan and played a major role on Cleveland's blue line. He has been a mainstay in Columbus ever since. Where Werenski came out of the NCAA, Jiricek already has pro experience, having played two regular seasons in North America including 47 games in the NHL. But the Blue Jackets made Jiricek eligible for the AHL postseason to get his first taste of playoff hockey.
In the final week of the AHL regular season, Jiricek was part of an eight-man trade from Columbus to Cleveland. And as the Monsters battled for first place in the North Division, Jiricek stood out to the Monsters' head coach. Trent Vogelhuber. He was on the roster for a 3-in-3 weekend that the Monsters swept for their first title — and the city's first in 62 years.
“I think [Jiricek] he's a guy who plays his best hockey in big moments,” Vogelhuber said. “He's just lifting. He likes that shine, so I think this is great for him to play under where he wants it most. “
The Eastern Conference Finals will give you that light. Jiricek is the focal point of Cleveland's blue line and will be asked to help drive a power play tasked with clashing with Hershey's excellent penalty kill and league-leading defense.
Vogelhuber has repeatedly emphasized that the most important thing has been helping Jiricek know when to use his great skill with the puck and when to back off.
Hershey can punish the opposing defender. An ill-advised pinch, a dangerous pass or a fumbled puck and the Bears will strike quickly. At lower levels, Jiricek can use his skills to eliminate any threat. In the AHL, just one step below the NHL, that approach could easily backfire.
“It's something he's still considering,” said Vogelhuber. “You find your risk/reward balance when it comes to making decisions with the puck. He is currently weighing that. I think the play-offs helped him a lot because he knows more about the dangers of playing 50-50. It will shape his game into a more reliable defenseman because we know what he can do on the offensive end with the puck.
“He can also defend very well. His understanding of the reads, the subtle nuances of the game, and the understanding of risk reward in moments of high pressure… When earlier in the year those judgments were not always right, I think he sees that needle moving in the other direction. . He does not give up his guilt at all. In fact, he gains strength and can join in a bit when he makes those right decisions. “
Taking two rounds of playoffs means more time together. The organization has made it clear that the postseason game in Cleveland is very important, which is part of the development process necessary to bring in a core of new prospects to be part of the future of the NHL team.
“It's a very good team,” Jiricek said. We enjoy spending time together.
Now the Monsters will get another taste of what hockey in June feels like.
Speaking of Jiricek, Vogelhuber said, “I see him going through the reps he needs and understanding the checks and balances: 'Okay, that's not right. This is the time for this,' which is exactly what we came for.”
TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams has covered the American Hockey League for nearly two decades at outlets including NHL.com, Sportsnet, TSN, Hockey News, SiriusXM NHL Network Radio and SLAM ! Sports, and most recently was the host of The Hockey News On The 'A' podcast. He was the recipient of the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league's top scorer in 2016.
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