PHILADELPHIA – Young defensemen still learning their way in professional hockey need to play. Watching NHL games from the pressbox in a nice suit generally does nothing to help grow their game. That’s why the Minnesota Wild sent project David Jiricek down to Iowa last week, after he’d played in their season-opener at St. Louis, then had been a healthy scratch for three games at the NHL level.
But injuries are seemingly inevitable when you play defense at this level, and Jiricek’s stay in the land of Cyclones and Hawkeyes proved to be brief. On Saturday, prior to their road meeting with the Flyers, Wild general manager Bill Guerin got Jiricek on a plane from Charlotte – where Iowa had a road game on Saturday – to Philadelphia and the 21-year-old Czech was back on Minnesota’s blue line at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The move came after veteran Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian suffered a lower body injury when he blocked a shot in Friday night’s 5-1 loss at Washington. Bogosian missed the third period, and Wild coach John Hynes listed him as day to day.
“David, I think he’s a good puck-moving defenseman and we’re looking for him to be able to move the puck,” Hynes said prior to the meeting with the Flyers. “I think his shot is a threat. When he gets in the offensive zone, he can deliver pucks for us.”
Looking to spark the team’s fourth line, the Wild also sent Liam Ohgren down to Iowa and recalled veteran forward Tyler Pitlick. Skating with Danila Yurov and Yakov Trenin on Saturday night in Philadelphia, Pitlick saw time with his ninth NHL organization, but his first with his home state team.
Pitlick, 33, played high school hockey for Centennial and skated one season of college hockey for Minnesota State in Mankato. Signed by the Wild in the off-season, he was one of the final cuts in training camp.
“He’s very similar to some of the guys we had last year when they came up…he’s a big body, he’s a physical player, he’s got good experience,” Hynes said. “Him, along with (Trenin) and Yurov in the middle could be a real strong line. All three guys are big, strong guys and they can skate.”
Saturday’s game was the 421st of Pitlick’s career, having previously played for the Oilers, Stars, Flyers, Coyotes, Flames, Canadiens, Blues and Rangers. He spent last season in the Bruins system, but did not get any NHL time with Boston. Pitlick’s uncle, Lance, was a Gophers standout and had a lengthy NHL career. Tyler Pitlick becomes the second member of his family to skate for the Wild, after his cousin Rem – a former Gophers captain – played 20 games for Minnesota in the 2021-22 season.
Ohgren, a first round draft pick by the Wild in 2022, had skated in Minnesota’s first five games this season without recording a point.
“We had a good conversation with (Ohgren) last night,” Hynes said. “We’re looking at where he’s playing and what he’s doing. It’s only really his second year in North America. So it’s going down to play, finding his game.”
Over it with Ovechkin
The goal and assist that Capitals star Alex Ovechkin recorded versus the Wild on Friday in Washington was the continuation of a trend over the past 20 years. Ovechkin now has 40 points in 26 career games versus Minnesota. His points-per-game average of 1.54 versus the Wild is Ovechkin’s highest against any NHL team.
Related Articles
‘Ovie show’ too much for Wild, again, as they fall in DC
Kirill Kaprizov now calls former idol Alex Ovechkin a friend
For Wild’s lopsided offense, it’s too early for celebration or concern
Jake Middleton hit leaves Matt Duchene injured, Wild ignited
Furious Wild comeback falls just short in Dallas
Leave a Reply