Blues Should Check With Blue Jackets About David Jiricek – Hockey Writers –

While St. Louis Blues drafted Adam Jiříček 16th overall, the media couldn't help but compare him to his older brother, David, drafted sixth two seasons ago. At the time, David admitted to NHL.com, “[Adam’s] a better skater and could break up passes. ” Now Adam, who did not play much time last season due to a serious injury in the World Junior Championship, is trying to get his skirt back under him and prepare for this season's competition.

Meanwhile, the name of his older brother David is being circulated in rumours. In his 32 Thoughts column this week, Elliotte Friedman commented on David's future after the Blue Jackets acquired Dante Fabbro.

The situation to watch now is David Jiricek, who played 9:15 and 8:50 in his last two games, then took out Fabbro's first. There were rocks between the player and the organization last season. And, while I don't believe new GM Don Waddell would automatically walk away from a player he didn't sign, he wouldn't have the same attachment [previous Columbus GM] Jarmo Kekalainen.

Eliotte Friedman, 32 Thoughts Column

Now, many times, even if these rumors are heard, they don't mean anything. Jiricek could still be sent down for seasoning, return to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and have a long career there. But if David is traded, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong (and his number two, Alex Steen) should make some calls and see what it takes to get him.

Perfect Fit for Blues

Before the 2024 draft, the Blues' defensive pipeline was an abyss. He wasn't in the organization to match the young defenseman. They started to deal with that by adding Adam. Then, they made a shocking move, adding Philip Broberg in an offer sheet. That decision paid off for the Blues until he suffered a serious knee injury that will keep him out for 4-6 weeks. While Broberg and the younger Jiříček are a good starter, they don't make a perfect defensive line. And while both looked promising, David would quickly fit into the organization as the top blue chipper on defense.

David is the epitome of a cornerstone right-shooting defenseman, standing at 6-foot-4, weighing 209 pounds, and showing good hockey sense and swing ability. Although he hasn't gained the full trust of the Blue Jackets coaching staff, everyone still thinks he has a bright future. The franchise's first right-handed, two-way defenseman is arguably the most important part of the team's rebuild in the NHL. With both Jiříček brothers, the Blues will have two excellent cracks at developing such a defender. If both grow into spikes, even better. And if both brothers and Broberg join the organization in the next six months or so, it will represent a drastic change and a big step forward for the franchise.

How much will Jiříček cost?

To get an idea of ​​what David might be worth, I asked my THW colleague and Blue Jackets reporter Mark Scheig. He didn't speak. After clarifying that the team was not willing to resolve the situation through a trade, he said: “Waddell will need to pull hard. They still believe in his behavior.” While that may be true, Waddell's public comments suggest they are disappointed with what they have seen so far this season. So the question would be: will Jiříček endure another full season in the American Hockey League (AHL), and will the organization honor a trade request if he does?

If he does, Scheig tells me that the beginning of the return would be: “the minimum of high hopes… They see him as 1D in the end. I will start listening if it is the first + high chance.” The Blues have options if that's the package – although they may be reluctant to trade a first-round pick, especially after giving up multiple picks to acquire Broberg and Dylan Holloway this summer. But there may be options. Last season's first-round pick Dalibor Dvorsky is virtually untouchable. But college standout Jimmy Snuggerud could be available, especially if there are doubts about signing him before the end of his college career. They could also consider including their other top five prospects, Theo Lindstein and Otto Stenberg.

The sticking point is probably the draft pick. With their 2024-25 season on the line, the Blues look more like a lottery team than a playoff team, meaning they wouldn't be averse to trading their 2025 first-round pick. A pick above that would not be valuable to Columbus and could be coveted by the Blues in the same way. Maybe not enough there to make a deal. But the Blues should check it out. Defenders like the Jiříček brothers don't come around often, and if there is a window, however small, where they can add both to the organization, they should see what it takes to step up.