When the St. Louis Blues drafted Adam Jiříček 16th overall, the media couldn’t help but draw comparisons to his older brother, David, drafted sixth overall two seasons prior. At the time, David admitted to NHL.com, “[Adam’s] a better skater and he was good at breaking up passes.” Now Adam, who missed much of last season with a serious injury suffered at the World Junior Championship, is trying to get his skates back under him and prepare for this season’s tournament.
Meanwhile, older brother David’s name is circulating in rumors. In his lauded 32 Thoughts column this week, Elliotte Friedman commented on David’s future after the Blue Jackets acquired Dante Fabbro.
The situation to watch is now with David Jiricek, who played 9:15 and 8:50 his last two games, then sat out Fabbro’s first. There were rocky waters between player and organization last season. And, while I don’t believe new GM Don Waddell would automatically move on from a player he didn’t draft, he wouldn’t have the same attachment as [previous Columbus GM] Jarmo Kekalainen.
Eliotte Friedman, 32 Thoughts Column
Now, many times, even when these rumors percolate, they don’t amount to 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 shopped in trade offers, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong (and his new number two, Alex Steen) should make the call and see what it would take to acquire him.
Perfect Fit for Blues
Before the 2024 Draft, the Blues’ defensive pipeline was an abyss. There was no one in the organization who even resembled a top young defenseman. They started to address that by adding Adam. Then, they made a shocking move, adding Philip Broberg by offer sheet. That decision was paying off handsomely for the Blues until he suffered a bad knee injury that will keep him out for 4-6 weeks. While Broberg and the younger Jiříček are a good start, they don’t make a complete defensive pipeline. And even though both look promising, David would immediately enter the organization as the top blue chipper on defense.
David fits the prototype of a cornerstone right-shot defenseman, standing at 6-foot-4, weighing 209 pounds, and showing good hockey sense and skating ability. Though he hasn’t yet earned the full trust of the Blue Jackets coaching staff, everyone still thinks he has a very bright future. A right-handed, first-pairing franchise defenseman is arguably the most important part of any team’s rebuild in the NHL. With both Jiříček brothers, the Blues would have two pretty awesome cracks at developing just such a defenseman. If both develop into studs, even better. And if both brothers and Broberg join the organization in the space of six months or so, it would represent a drastic overhaul and a massive leap forward for the franchise.
What Would Jiříček Cost?
To get a sense of what David might cost to acquire, I asked my THW colleague and Blue Jackets reporter Mark Scheig. He didn’t mince words. After clarifying that the team wasn’t eager to solve the situation with a trade, he said: “Waddell would need an overwhelming haul. They still believe in his upside.” While that might be true, Waddell’s public comments suggest that they’re disappointed in what they’ve seen so far this season. So the question might be: will Jiříček tolerate another full season in the American Hockey League (AHL), and will the organization honor a trade request if he makes one?
If he does, Scheig tells me the starting point for a return would be: “minimum a top prospect… They see him as a 1D eventually. I’d start listening if it’s a first + top prospect.” The Blues have options if that’s the package — although they might be reticent to trade a first-round pick, especially after surrendering many picks to acquire Broberg and Dylan Holloway this summer. But there could be options. Last season’s first-round pick Dalibor Dvorsky is probably untouchable. But college standout Jimmy Snuggerud might be available, especially if there’s any doubt about his signing a contract before his college career ends. They might also consider including either of their other top-five prospects, Theo Lindstein and Otto Stenberg.
The sticking point is probably draft picks. With their 2024-25 season on the ropes, the Blues are looking more like a lottery team than a playoff team, meaning they would be loathe to trade their 2025 first-round pick. Picks beyond that won’t be as valuable to Columbus and might be just as coveted by the Blues. Maybe there isn’t enough there to make a deal happen. But the Blues should explore it. Defensemen like the Jiříček brothers don’t come around often, and if there is a window, however narrow, where they might add both to the organization, they should see what it takes to climb through it.