With one of the NHL’s top young defensemen already on their every night roster, and another top prospect tearing up the college game, the Minnesota Wild added to their collection of youthful rearguard talent on Saturday, swinging a trade for highly-regarded prospect David Jiricek.
Picked by Columbus in the first round, sixth overall, in the 2022 NHL draft, Jiricek is from Czechia and turned 21 on Thanksgiving Day.
He has logged 53 games at the NHL level, including six this season, with a goal and 10 assists on his resume. Standing 6-foot-4, he’s skated for his country in the World Junior Championships three times, earning top defenseman of the tournament honors in 2023. Jiricek has spent significant time with Cleveland in the AHL after bringing his game to North America.
“He’s big and he’s good. I think he just needs, like every young player, he needs help, he needs coaching, he needs guidance, and he’s got talent.” Wild general manager Bill Guerin said. “I mean, he has ability. I saw him play at the World Juniors. Every person on our staff, from the amateur guys who followed him to pro guys, wanted to do this deal.”
To get Jiricek, who the Wild had been rumored to be pursuing for a few weeks now, they paid what most consider a high price, sending defenseman Daemon Hunt to Columbus along with their 2025 first round draft selection, third- and fourth-round pick in 2026, and a second round pick in 2027. Along with Jiricek, the Wild acquired the Blue Jackets’ fifth round pick in 2025.
Hunt was a fifth round pick by the Wild in 2020, and played in 13 NHL games over the course of two seasons with Minnesota.
Guerin hinted that with veteran Jonas Brodin injured and his timeline for return uncertain, Jiricek could be in a Wild NHL sweater as soon as Tuesday when they host Vancouver.
The Wild are adding Jiricek to their collection of young blue line talent alongside Brock Faber, who is in his second full season with the team and University of Denver star Zeev Buium, who was Minnesota’s first round pick last summer and could join the team as early as the spring of 2025.
“I think between having some youth on the blue line and having some veteran leadership guys that they can learn from is really important too,” Guerin said. “I’m excited about the future of the blue line.”
Preds’ new goalie hustles to reach Minnesota
There was no inclement weather affecting travel in the north on Saturday, making the Nashville coach confident that the newest Predator would arrive in Minnesota by warmup time. Earlier in the day on Saturday, Nashville and Colorado swapped backup goalies, with Scott Wedgewood going to the Avalanche and Justus Annunen coming to Nashville by way of St. Paul.
Annunen, 24, was 6-4-0 in 11 appearances for Colorado this season. Wedegewood is 32, and was 1-2-1 in five trips to the crease for the Predators this season.
“We’re getting a goalie that’s quite a bit younger than (Wedgewood). He’s a veteran and was really good for us, really good personality in the room and we’ll probably miss that,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said before Saturday’s game. “We’re getting a goalie that’s younger and has a chance. Our goalie department really feels excited to have him here.”
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