David Jiříček

David Jiříček
Born (2003-11-28) 28 November 2003 (age 21)
Klatovy, Czech Republic
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams		 Minnesota Wild
Columbus Blue Jackets
National team  Czech Republic
NHL draft 6th overall, 2022
Columbus Blue Jackets
Playing career 2019–present

David Jiříček (born 28 November 2003) is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 NHL entry draft.[1]

Competing internationally as part of Czech Republic national team, he won a bronze medal at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, and a silver medal with the junior national team at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.[2][3]

Playing career

Extraliga

Jiříček made his professional debut for HC Škoda Plzeň during the 2019–20 season where he appeared in four games. During the 2020–21 season, in his first full season with Plzeň, he recorded three goals and six assists in 34 games.[4] Following his rookie season, he was named Czech Extraliga Rookie of the Year.[5][6]

He was drafted 54th overall by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2020 CHL Import Draft.[7]

Jiříček played only 29 games in the 2021–22 season after a knee injury suffered at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[8]

Columbus Blue Jackets

In the leadup to the 2022 NHL entry draft, Jiříček was considered a top prospect, and for much of the year there was debate as to whether he or Slovak Šimon Nemec would be the first defenceman taken. Following Jiříček's injury at the World Junior Championships, Nemec became favoured to go first.[9][10][11] Ultimately, Nemec was taken second overall by the New Jersey Devils, while Jiříček was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.[1]

Jiříček began his North American professional career playing with the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate. He was called up to make his NHL debut on 28 October 2022, in the midst of a string of injuries to the Columbus defence corps.[12][13] Returning to Cleveland, he was named the AHL Rookie of the Month for December 2022.[14] Jiříček was initially named as the Monsters' representative to the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, but he subsequently was unavailable to participate and was replaced by teammate Jake Christiansen.[15][16] He ultimately appeared in 55 games with the Monsters, recording 6 goals and 32 assists, leading all rookie defencemen with 0.75 points per game.[17]

On October 14, 2023, Jiříček scored his first career NHL goal in a 5–3 victory against the New York Rangers.[18] During the 2023–24 season, his first full season in the NHL, he recorded one goal and nine assists in 43 games for the Blue Jackets.[19] During the 2024–25 season, he recorded one assist in six games with the Blue Jackets, and two goals and one assist in four games for the Cleveland Monsters.[20]

Minnesota Wild

On 30 November 2024, Jiříček was traded from the Blue Jackets to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Daemon Hunt and four draft picks, including a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft.[21] He was assigned to the Wild's AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild.[22]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Finland
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 2023 Canada

Jiříček represented the Czech Republic at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he recorded one assist in four games.[23] He rejoined the national junior team at the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships the following year.[24][25] However, he suffered an injury in his first game after a knee-on-knee collision with Team Canada forward Will Cuylle, and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.[26] Jiříček returned to the ice for the 2022 IIHF World Championship, where he played five games in his debut with the senior national team, before a planned withdrawal to avoid overtaxing his knee.[8] He shared in the team's bronze medal win, the first World medal for the Czech Republic in ten years.[2]

Named once again to the national junior team for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, Jiříček's travel to the event in Halifax was affected by Winter Storm Elliott, which caused his equipment to be initially lost in transit. It was ultimately delivered five hours prior to the team's first game of the tournament.[27] The tournament was an international breakout for Jiříček, who was cited as a central player in Czechia's deep run to the event final, where they ultimately took the silver medal after a loss to Canada.[28][29][3] He was given the award for Best Defenceman of the event by the IIHF directorate, and was also named to the Media All-Star Team.[30][31]

Personal life

Jiříček is the older brother of Adam Jiříček, who was drafted 16th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2024 NHL entry draft.[32]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2019–20 HC Škoda Plzeň ELH 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2019–20 SHC Klatovy Czech.2 — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0
2020–21 HC Škoda Plzeň ELH 34 3 6 9 34 2 0 1 1 4
2021–22 HC Škoda Plzeň ELH 29 5 6 11 49 — — — — —
2022–23 Cleveland Monsters AHL 55 6 32 38 36 — — — — —
2022–23 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2023–24 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 43 1 9 10 22 — — — — —
2023–24 Cleveland Monsters AHL 29 7 12 19 21 14 3 8 11 10
2024–25 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 6 0 1 1 4 — — — — —
2024–25 Cleveland Monsters AHL 4 2 1 3 2 — — — — —
ELH totals 67 8 12 20 85 2 0 1 1 4
NHL totals 53 1 10 11 28 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2021 Czech Republic U18 7th 4 0 0 0 8
2021 Czech Republic WJC 7th 5 1 1 2 2
2022 Czech Republic WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 5 1 1 2 0
2022 Czech Republic WJC 4th 7 0 3 3 2
2023 Czechia WJC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 3 4 7 2
Junior totals 23 4 8 12 14
Senior totals 5 1 1 2 0

Awards and honours

Award Year Ref
AHL
Rookie of the Month December 2022 [14]
All-Star Game 2023 [15]
ELH
Rookie of the Year 2021 [5]
International
World Junior Championship Best Defenceman 2023 [30]
World Junior Championship Media All-Star Team 2023 [31]

References

  1. ^ a b Arace, Michael (7 July 2022). "A big defenseman is left for the Blue Jackets to draft with the 6th pick". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b Aykroyd, Lucas (29 May 2022). "Czechs rally to thump U.S. for bronze". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b Espy, William (7 January 2023). "Blue Jackets Need Patience with David Jiricek After WJC". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Scouting Report: David Jiříček". smahtscouting.com. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b Bell, Josh (28 April 2021). "Jiricek named Czech Extraliga Rookie of the Year". nhlentrydraft.com. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  6. ^ Voltr, Martin (26 April 2021). "David Jiříček je nejlepším nováčkem extraligové sezony!". hokej.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Chiefs Select Defenseman David Jiricek in CHL Import Draft". spokanechiefs.com. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  8. ^ a b Portzline, Aaron (29 June 2022). "No. 6 draft pick David Jiricek projects as an intimidating NHL defenseman". The Athletic. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Bob McKenzie's Final 2022 Draft Ranking". TSN. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  10. ^ Campbell, Ken (7 July 2022). "NHL Draft: Comparing top defensemen Jiricek and Nemec". The Hockey News. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  11. ^ Zator, Matthew (24 June 2022). "2022 NHL Draft Showdown: Simon Nemec vs. David Jiricek". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  12. ^ Portzline, Aaron (27 October 2022). "David Jiricek's NHL debut is just one part of a new-look Blue Jackets lineup". The Athletic. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  13. ^ Johnson, Bailey (28 October 2022). "David Jiricek, Columbus Blue Jackets' top pick from 2022 draft, will make NHL debut Friday". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Monsters defenseman David Jiricek named AHL Rookie of the Year". Cleveland Monsters. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Monsters defenseman David Jiricek named 2023 AHL All-Star". Cleveland Monsters. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Attard, Christiansen added to All-Star rosters". American Hockey League. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  17. ^ Hedger, Brian (9 April 2023). "Takeaways from the Columbus Blue Jackets' loss to the New York Rangers". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Blue Jackets' David Jiricek: First NHL goal wins game". CBSSports.com. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  19. ^ Punturi, Jacob (30 November 2024). "Wild Acquire Top Young Defender From Blue Jackets". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Blue Jackets trade David Jiricek to Wild for Daemon Hunt, draft picks". The Athletic. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Jiricek traded to Wild by Blue Jackets for Hunt, 4 draft picks". National Hockey League. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Minnesota Wild Acquires Defenseman David Jiricek From Columbus". iowawild.com. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  23. ^ Kimelman, Adam (24 December 2020). "2021 World Junior Championship rosters". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  24. ^ Kimelman, Adam (25 December 2021). "2022 World Junior Championship rosters". National Hockey League. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  25. ^ Kennedy, Ryan (24 December 2021). "Czechia is Counting on David Jiricek at WJC". The Hockey News. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  26. ^ "Power's hat trick leads Canada to win over Czechia in World Juniors". Sportsnet. 26 December 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  27. ^ "Agent says Czech star David Jiricek finally has his equipment". Sportsnet. 26 December 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  28. ^ Stephens, Mike (3 January 2023). "The Czech Wave of defensemen is coming". The Hockey News. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  29. ^ Kennedy, Ian (6 January 2023). "World Juniors: Prospects who thrived, prospects who struggled". Yahoo!Sports. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  30. ^ a b "Best players elected by the Directorate". IIHF.com. 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  31. ^ a b "Media All Stars". IIHF.com. 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  32. ^ Potts, Andy (26 April 2023). "Adam inspired by brother's progress". IIHF.com. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Columbus Blue Jackets first round draft pick
2022 		Succeeded by