What Ought to The Blue Jackets Do With David Jiříček?

David Jiříček was purported to be the subsequent nice Blue Jackets defensive prospect and was thought-about a steal at choose #6. However two years later, many are questioning what’s going on with the younger Czech defender.

When Don Waddell traded Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens for an additional younger defenseman in Jordan Harris and signed longtime NHLer Jack Johnson, the writing appeared to be on the wall for what would occur to Jiříček this season, or so we thought. If in case you have listened to Waddell communicate over the previous few months, he is made it very clear that he likes the younger gamers, particularly defensemen to prepare dinner within the AHL earlier than being thrown to the NHL wolves. So it was off to the AHL for him.

David Jiříček has 84 video games of expertise within the AHL over the past two seasons. He is scored 13 objectives and totaled 57 factors, however is a minus-27. The discuss Jiříček is his growth although. Many consider his skating is not the place it must be to be an elite NHL defenseman, which is one thing that may positively be mounted. Keep in mind, he will not be 21 till later this month, so he is nonetheless actually inexperienced.

Individuals who comply with the crew thought that this 12 months could be the 12 months that younger Jiříček would step in and begin to develop underneath a brand new coach and new GM, however up to now, that hasn’t occurred.

Jiříček has performed in three video games this 12 months. In these three video games, he is averaging 13:37 TOI and has one help. He is totaled two pictures on objectives, two PIM, and is a minus-1. In his final recreation, towards Washington this previous Saturday, he performed 17:05.

So why hasn’t David Jiříček been despatched to the AHL? Many consider that after the drama that swirled round him final season with all of the ups and downs from Columbus to Cleveland, Waddell is being pressured to maintain him in Columbus or take the possibility of dropping him. Would Waddell really let that occur?

Ought to the Blue Jackets simply ship him down so he can play and danger it? Ought to he simply proceed to play him each 4th or fifth recreation? One thing has to present quickly I’d think about.

Would they entertain buying and selling David Jiříček? In case you check out the Jackets defensive prospect pool, it is not very deep. Denton Mateychuk is enjoying in Cleveland, getting himself prepared for his inevitable NHL debut someday this season. Stanislav Svozil and Corson Ceulemans are enjoying numerous video games in Cleveland, however do not appear prepared for the NHL. The opposite defenders in Cleveland should not projected to be stars.

While you have a look at who they’ve drafted within the final two drafts, it will get a bit brighter. Luca Marrelli is lighting up the OHL this 12 months and will flip professional after this season. Luke Ashton, Tanner Hendricks, and Charlie Elick are a few years away, however look to make a huge impact as effectively.

The Columbus Blue Jackets must discover a answer for the David Jiříček scenario quickly. I assume that the reply to that downside will come if and after they resolve to commerce Ivan Provorov, who’s a UFA after this season. Jack Johnson can also be a UFA and will most likely fetch a late-round choose and assist bolster a Stanley Cup-contending crew. Jake Christiansen is a Group-6 UFA on the finish of this season as effectively. However will the Jiříček camp wish to wait that lengthy for him to play video games? These kind of strikes would most likely occur later within the 12 months.

The easy reply is that David Jiříček must be enjoying, and if he does not wish to play within the AHL, that is a significant downside for him and the crew.

What’s Next – The Blue Jackets are off on their first prolonged highway journey of the 12 months. Their first cease might be San Jose to tackle the Sharks on Tuesday.

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