This definitely hasn’t been the season the Columbus Blue Jackets planned on, sitting a distant last place in the Metropolitan Division.
It started with the head-scratching hire of Mike Babcock to be head coach and the disaster ending of that chapter before the season even began. But it’s more than just that. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins asked for a trade when he went through a stretch of not playing and, seemingly, being demoted to the third-stringer. There’s been debate about Adam Fantilli’s usage, as the third overall pick from 2023 has more regularly been used as a winger rather than his usual centre position. Johnny Gaudreau is still well off the scoring pace he produced in Calgary. Patrik Laine stepped away to seek help from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Head coach Pascal Vincent is trying to keep this all together and still grind out wins.
Even as the team struggles, the silver lining should be that there’s a young core here that brings some level of hope and optimism for the long haul. Yegor Chinakov (who also voiced frustration earlier this season over playing time) has 14 goals in 38 games and is just 22 years old. Fantilli has been the NHL’s fourth-highest scoring rookie to date. And 21-year-old Kent Johnson is clearly a level above the AHL (where he had 15 points in 10 games this season) and still growing his NHL impact.
But it’s not so straightforward in Columbus.
The latest bump in the season came over the weekend, when defenceman David Jiricek discussed his frustration at his development path. The sixth overall pick in 2022 is a key piece of Columbus’ future.
“In November I started looking for an apartment in Columbus,” Jiricek told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. “The dream was coming true.”
That was after Jiricek says he was told by GM Jarmo Kekalainen that he should get a place to live in Columbus. He seemed to have made it.
But Jiricek’s usage has been all over the place since. Though he’s played 36 NHL games this season compared to just four in the AHL, he’s been moved between the two leagues multiple times. In the NHL, Jiricek is averaging 14:47 of ice time per game, less than any of the nine other blue liners who have suited up for the Blue Jackets this season. According to Portzline, Kekalainen and Co. just do not believe that Jiricek is one of their top six defencemen yet.
“They told me the last game was not good enough for me,” Jiricek told Portzline. “I told them I don’t think so, but that’s your opinion. I was out of the lineup after that. A whole month now, it feels like I haven’t played.”
Jiricek’s last NHL game was Jan. 9 and he’s played three AHL games in that time, including this past Saturday.
Other top defencemen from the 2022 draft are being given opportunities for growth and Jiricek sees that as a comparison for himself. Simon Nemec, the second overall pick, has 13 points in 26 NHL games this season after starting with 13 AHL games in October and November. In the NHL, Nemec is averaging 20:46 a game. And Kevin Korchinski, the seventh overall pick, has nine points in 44 games for the depleted Chicago Blackhawks and averages 19:53 per game. In their disaster of a season, Korchinski is being given a look.
As playoffs fade (or, more accurately, have already disappeared) the question will be asked: what should be Columbus’ top priority from here on out? Is it to maximize wins? Build culture? Focus on young player development?
And who should be in charge of all this? Nearly 11 years into the job, Kekalainen is beginning to get heat from the fan base as his vision for the franchise hasn’t come close to materializing yet. Now we’re witnessing another young cornerstone communicating his frustration, and Jiricek is a player this still-young team cannot afford to alienate.
With more on who Jiricek is as a player, and thoughts on how he’s being developed, we turn to our scout Jason Bukala.
SCOUT’S ANALYSIS
The Columbus Blue Jackets looked poised for a better season back in October. They had added some key pieces in the off-season. Players like defencemen Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov, along with highly touted first-round pick Adam Fantilli, all brought a sense of enthusiasm to the group.
Another top prospect who the Jackets and their fans should be excited about is defenceman David Jiricek.
Jiricek is a highly coveted right shot defender who brings a combination of size (six-foot-four, 207 pounds) and offensive upside (Jircek produced six goals and 32 assists in the AHL last season). He isn’t a bone crusher physically, but he is tall and long and generally keeps opponents to the perimeter with his reach.
So far this season Jiricek has dressed for 36 NHL games and has averaged 14:46 of ice time, which all generally comes at even strength. He very rarely sees any time on special teams, and has produced a goal and eight assists.
The Blue Jackets seem to forget what they have in this prospect. Jiricek can beat goalies at any level with a clapper or snap shot from range. He’s a power play threat waiting to happen. He has always produced offence along every stop in his development.
But, for some reason, the Blue Jackets have chosen to play hard ball with Jiricek. They have been ping-ponging him up and down from the minors recently and the prospect has spoken out. He’s not happy and, frankly, I don’t blame him. The Jackets aren’t a playoff contending outfit. Why are they not putting more effort into developing one of their top prospects? If they chose to have him in the AHL for another season, they should simply communicate that to Jiricek. If they are going to have him on the NHL roster, why not try to put him in a role to succeed and play to his strengths?
Here’s my observation from earlier in the season when I scouted Jiricek and the Jackets:
Here’s a look at some positive moments for Jiricek, when he’s playing to his strengths:
In this clip, Jiricek actually started the offensive zone sequence with a chip around the boards that ended up on the left point. When the play works back down the boards, he makes himself available as an option in the middle of the ice. He has a plan when he receives the puck, changes the angle of his release, and his shot ends up being tipped into the net by Justin Danforth.
The second clip comes from a set play late in a game, coincidentally against New Jersey again. Coaches are always asking young players to push for the full 60 minutes, even if the game is out of reach. This is an example of Jiricek executing a set play.
Notice the skill involved in his pass to Fantilli on the flank.
Here’s another example of how Jiricek reads the play in the offensive zone and creates scoring chances. This puck should have been stopped, but the sequence leading to the opportunity was created by Jiricek on his strong side.
To be fair, not everything goes well for developing prospects at the NHL level. They make mistakes that they hopefully won’t make again as they mature. It’s part of the developmental process.
Here’s an example of a poorly timed pinch by Jiricek that leads to a scoring chance for Boston. Notice, however, how the Jackets have two skaters back defending. It’s essentially a two-on-two zone entry. They break down as a team and the puck ends up in their net.
The bottom line, however, is Jiricek didn’t time his pinch appropriately in the offensive zone and I can’t let him off the hook for the mistake.
If it sounds like I’m passionate about the scenario that is playing out for David Jiricek, in Columbus, it’s because I am.
He isn’t a perfect player — nobody is — but it feels like there is a breakdown in communication between him and the organization. Columbus needs to be careful they don’t mess things up with one of their top prospects.
