Article: David Jiricek Is Proving He Belongs In the NHL

[Bekki Antonelli]

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[FredJohnson]

And if he can improve his skating his defense will improve. A Jirisek-Chisholm 3rd line is pretty neat with both heading a power play unit. 👍

[mnhockeyfan03]

He has played really well and is only getting better.  When everyone gets healthy he needs to stay up here.  He belongs on the team and is better than bogo, Merrill and Chisholm.  As said above 3rd pair should be Chisholm and jiricek with bogo the 7th d and merrill and dermot put on waivers

[Citizen Strife]

Jiricek looks like he belongs.  He fits the team in a different way than other players do.

I like to term the Wild's approach as "opportunistic offense."

Yes, the Wild struggle offensively, but I heard or read somewhere that the blueline has or is one of the best in the league at scoring goals.  Middleton is a prime example of that this year, and everyone seems to follow suit.  There's just something about the ability and willingness to pitch n the offensive zone, but still recognizing the importance of not getting punished for doing so.

It takes some mobile and fearless defensemen to do that and succeed.  Jiricek isn't perfect, but I think he is benefitting from taking chances.  

The team will and has gotten burned if they try to rush and race with other teams. Jiricek's first crack at the lineup shows me he can stick depending on how the late season signing of Buium and off-season dismissals of players (Merrill and Dermott obviously, and Chisholm likely) go.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Citizen Strife

[Pewterschmidt]

Like this kids potential!  He's got alot of things that can't be taught: size, ego, and a bully attitude that all the great 1D's have (ie Pronger).

P-Dangles, how do you know he has the ego.  He forced a trade a age 21 and the way he plays the game.  I just know.  I get why Guerin wanted him so badly.  Every great D-core needs at least one bully 1st pairing D-man.  Midds is a placeholder for now, but Jirizy looks to project into that player

Jirizy: do not use with alcohol

[Citizen Strife]

Consider also the price they gave up.

Hunt: boxed out as a 3rd pair guy, was serving as a depth guy.

1st: barring a free fall, it is likely mid-late first.  Probably a middle six forward, WITH SOME chance to be better.

2nd-4ths: AHL depth or 3rd-4th liners (Khus, Dewar, Duhaime, etc).  You can find can find killer players in those late rounds, but it is even slimmer than a late first.

Guerin took a swing at a guy who already seems way better than Hunt, even if unpolished.  It's worth the gamble.  If he stays pat, that's a quality 3rd pair guy already.  He's earmarked as Spurgeon's eventual Top 4 replacement.  Getting that for a decade would be huge.

 

 

[Citizen Strife]

According to Russo, Kap and Spurgeon are back.  Boldy and Ohgren move to 2nd and 3rd lines respectively, and Dermott and Jiricek are pushed down to 7/8 make Chisholm/Spurgeon 2nd D pair.

No news yet on what moves will happen to save cap space.

 

Edited 37 minutes ago by Citizen Strife

[IllicitFive]

36 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

According to Russo, Kap and Spurgeon are back.  Boldy and Ohgren move to 2nd and 3rd lines respectively, and Dermott and Jiricek are pushed down to 7/8 make Chisholm/Spurgeon 2nd D pair.

No news yet on what moves will happen to save cap space.

 

I am a little disappointed to hear Jiricek is being pushed down to 7. Bogo and Merril have been decent as of late, but with how Jiricek has played the last two games, why not ride the hot hand for a bit.