It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! The 2024 NHL Draft will be held on June 28 and 29 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
Next up is Czech defenceman, Adam Jiricek. Jiricek is an intriguing prospect in this draft. Brother of the sixth overall pick in 2022, David Jiricek, Adam is looking to carry on his family’s success so far. Jiricek’s draft stock has dropped throughout the year due to a season-ending injury.
Who is Adam Jiricek?
| Name | Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Jiricek | D | Right | 6’2″ | 168lbs |
Jiricek’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | D-2 | Czechia U17 | HC Plzen U17 | 36 | 5 | 15 | 20 |
| Czechia U20 | HC Plzen U20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2022–23 | D-1 | Czechia U20 | HC Plzen U20 | 41 | 12 | 17 | 29 |
| Czechia | HC Plzen | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| WJC-18 | Czechia U18 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | D+0 | Czechia U20 | HC Plzen U20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Czechia | HC Plzen | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | Czechia U18 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||
| WJC-20 | Czechia U20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Czechia U17 with a taste of U20
Jiricek’s stats can be tracked back to only the 2021–22 season where as a 15-year-old, he had a great season on HC Plzen’s U17 team. In his 36 games, Jiricek found the back of the net five times and added 15 assists to that for 20 points. These 20 points placed sixth in team scoring and the highest-producing defenceman by one point. He received a one-game stint with the U20 team where scored a goal. Jiricek and the U17 team made the playoffs. Success followed them as they went all the way and were crowned champions. Jiricek had a solid playoff performance putting up six points in 14 games.
A big jump up to U20 as a 16-year-old
Moving to his 16-year-old season, Jiricek took another step forward. Now on the U20 team, Jiricek’s production rose as well. Scoring seven more goals and nine more points than the prior season, Jiricek finished the year with 12 goals and 29 points in 41 games. Once again, Jiricek was first in defencemen scoring and top 10 in team production.
He then got a stint again at the next level, this time with the actual HC Plzen team against men. He received a 12-game stint where he put up two assists for two points. Jiricek went on to represent his country at U18 World Juniors in 2023. There he filled a role as one of the team’s top three defencemen. Czechia was the fourth-ranked team in Group A with a single overtime result being the difference between them and the 3rd ranked Slovakia. In the quarterfinals, Czechia was up against the first-place team in Group B in the USA. Czechia didn’t pull off an upset, losing 4–1. Jiricek finished the tournament with one point in five games.
Jiricek’s draft year performance
In his draft year, Jiricek started the year with the U20 team. He played a quick three games, scoring three points before being promoted once again. He found a spot on HC Plzen’s pro team and he was to play against men for the first time in a full season. Jiricek suited up for 19 games while only putting up one assist.
His season in the Czech Extraliga didn’t go smoothly. In late November, Jiricek was on the receiving end of a suicide pass. He took a massive hit from HC Kometa Brno defenceman, Jan Scotka. Jiricek needed help off the ice.
The roughness of his year didn’t stop there. He was invited to play for his country at the 2024 World Juniors. In the first game against Slovakia, Jiricek was injured visibly. After the game it was determined that his knee required surgery and he would not only miss the rest of the tournament, but the rest of the season too. Fortunately for Jiricek, Czechia advanced to the quarterfinals where they upset Canada scoring the game-winning goal with 11 seconds to go. They then lost to Sweden in the semi-finals placing them in the bronze medal game where they beat Finland in a high-scoring affair to a final score of 8–5.
Before all of this, Jiricek played in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the summer of 2023. Czechia made out well, barely winning Group A over the USA and advancing to the semi-finals. In the semis they played Finland, dominating them and winning 8–2. Their gold medal opponent was Canada, and the game went to overtime where Malcolm Spence broke the Czechs’ hearts scoring the OT winner, and giving them the silver medal.
Jiricek was a big part of this silver medal finish as he was Czechia’s top defenceman. His three points also made him the team’s highest scorer. With injuries and struggles, Jiricek’s draft stock has dropped during his draft season and has been deemed more of a wild card. He started in the top 10 conversation and now has dropped to the 12–20 range, possibly even lower.
When he is drafted it will be interesting to see the path his career follows. He could stay in Europe or join the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL as they selected him 19th overall in the 2023 CHL Import Draft.
Jiricek’s strengths
Skating
While it can sometimes appear awkward, Jiricek’s skating ability is definitely a strength. His four-way mobility and quicker top speed allow it to be one. His agility allows him to be dangerous in the offensive zone. Starting with when he is at the line, Jiricek can safely walk it creating space between himself and the defender pressuring him. This allows him more time to develop plays himself or find openings.
Other times when he is moving around the zone, he’ll face physical pressure, but his edges allow him to keep his ground, holding on to the puck, or he’ll be able to bounce off opponents allowing him to make a play. This also helps in the defensive end when retrieving the puck. He’ll often be tasked with the role of puck retrieving, he’ll go behind the net and his fast edgework and speed allow him to shake off attackers and generate the rush or make an outlet pass.
Then when it comes to defence, his skating helps him face the puck and its carrier allowing him to show that he is not afraid to get physical or face a challenge. His edges allow him to keep his man coverage, applying pressure. Quicker-paced opponents can be kept up with because of his speed. That awkwardness that his skating seems to have sometimes often appears to be a matter of effort and not ability.
Defence
Jiricek shows promise on the defensive side of things, both on the rush and in-zone. On rush defence, Jiricek presents good posture, facing the puck and placing his stick in front of him to prepare for possible checks. He rarely overextends and will keep track and pace with his opponent. He’ll then make the play necessary to retrieve the puck whether it’s a poke, a hit, or man coverage.
As mentioned before, he can match the quickness of opponents on the fly. This then allows him to position himself for upcoming defensive plays. When his offensive attempts fail, he will quickly regroup to be available for his defensive responsibility. Jiricek rarely attacks early and will position himself to be ready to pounce on a puck carrier quickly.
His style is aggressive, often presenting himself as a threat that is going to shut down the oncoming offence. He’ll control gaps and be prepared to make the physical whether it’s with his stick or body. You will rarely see Jiricek back down from a defensive assignment, usually battling for the puck. This especially shines when he is in the defensive end and needs to get into the corners. He can play coverage while in the zone and will move around when needed.
Compete/Smarts
A high compete level that blends into smarts is something that strengthens Jiricek’s game. He’s aggressive in the offensive end, he’ll read the plays, leave his defensive post, and quickly jump into an offensive opportunity before making his way back to the defensive side.
He very often wants to make a play but sometimes he’ll decide he’s the best option and use his poise, understanding, and control to get around defenders. This generates better opportunities for scoring whether it’s by getting open himself or drawing defenders away from his teammates to make a pass.
Deception comes with Jiricek and usually through the form of a fake shot. At the blueline, he’ll wind up looking as if a shot is coming and the opponent will attempt to defend, but Jiricek will then move forward. When he’s higher up in the offensive, he’ll position his movements to make it seem like a wrist shot is coming but then he makes a nice and effective tape-to-tape pass.
When he retrieves the puck in any of the three zones, he’ll read his options before doing so and decide what is best for the upcoming play. He is strong on his feet, putting in the effort to neutralize and/or fight off aggressive defenders. When he ends up in difficult situations like that, he is often able to use his smarts and compete to make a simple yet effective play to his teammates. Jiricek can perform under pressure, when a situation escalates to something more complicated, he can usually still find an option.
Jiricek’s areas of improvement
Shot selection
When watching Jiricek, you can tell has the potential to develop a deadlier shot, but his choices and power are questionable. Sometimes, it’ll seem like he’s just shooting to shoot. He’s not getting the puck on the net but he’s getting the puck off his stick.
Jiricek will have the puck with options to move and he’ll instead fire it into a ton of traffic. Blocked lanes and bodies are where the puck often finds itself upon leaving Jiricek’s stick after he shoots. Options to pass to a teammate or attempt to move a defender, even simple options, are available but he decides to shoot and it goes nowhere, applying no pressure.
There will be times when Jiricek can opt for a hard slapshot but there’s just no power to it or he’ll instead take a wrist shot that’s just not primed for the situation. Jiricek will also take shots from weird angles that may find the net but they’ll lead to nothing.
Decision making
Jiricek’s decision can sometimes be rough but it’s a matter of growing into the skillset he has instead of not having the smarts. Some of it comes from the shot selection problems we just covered but there is more as well. He will have the option to pressure defenders and attempt to get around them, but he’ll choose not to.
He has the puck control and posture to do so but doesn’t view it as an option so he’ll sit at the line and the offence will be slowed. Then there can be the opposite. Sometimes his ambition can get in the way. He gets too jumpy while trying to create plays and will go for something that just isn’t going to work and will likely end up with a negative outcome.
There are times when it’s debatable if it’s a poor decision or not. He’ll go for a play that has upside, such as joining the offence fully, but if it goes south, the other team will have a dangerous chance that is derived from Jiricek making his choice. He doesn’t often succumb to pressure, but once in a while pressure will get to him and he’ll try to rush a pass that ends with a turnover or icing.
Jiricek comparables
Funny enough, Adam Jiricek can draw comparisons to his brother, David. Both play a very similar, poised style of hockey. Adam is better physically and skating-wise while David gets the upper hand in everything else.
When it comes to current NHL players, Adam Jiricek may be a lesser Charlie McAvoy. Jiricek and McAvoy both use their skating ability to influence their game. They also are strong in the defensive with a physical side and high compete level. McAvoy has better offensive traits than Jiricek projects to have and Jiricek likely won’t be as good but it is easy to see similarities.
I could also see Brett Pesce for the two-way play, positioning strengths and lesser offensive traits.
Fit with the Flames
While centres are definitely the Flames’ most important need, defence is a close second. Their defensive prospect pool has depth with Jeremie Poirier, Hunter Brzustewicz, Etienne Morin, Artem Grushnikov, and more, but the quality isn’t the highest. Jiricek would help raise that.
Also on the right side, the only quality guy the Flames have is Brzustewicz and adding Jiricek would help bolster that. Another draw to having Jiricek is that the three best defensive prospects the Flames have in Poirier, Brzustewicz, and Morin are all offensive-minded while Jiricek brings a two-way game that’s a bit more focused on defence.
Summary
Adam Jiricek is a promising-looking, two-way defenceman who has so far spent his whole career in his home country of Czechia. Jiricek has had his fair share of impressive seasons that were drawing top 10 conversations for this draft. Rougher play and injury problems have seen his stock drop.
Jiricek brings a round game with defensive, skating, and positioning strengths to the board. He struggles with decision-making from time to time and his shot could use some work. With all that to consider, Jiricek has the upside to possibly be a strong #3, maybe even #2. I think the most realistic outcome is that we see Jiricek become a very good #4 on a competitive team.
Risk: 2/5
Reward: 4/5
Projection: Top-four, two-way defenceman
