The fate of Columbus Blue Jackets defensive prospect David Jiricek appears to be certain, but only the final destination of the 21-year-old blueliner is yet to be determined. The 2022 sixth overall pick was demoted to AHL Cleveland earlier this month after playing just six games with the Jackets.
There has been an increasing level of speculation from insiders such as Elliotte Friedman and Frank Seravalli that Columbus GM Don Waddell is shopping the big right-handed defenseman, and Seravalli has linked the Sabres to Jiricek.
There are a number of factors that make the pursuit of Jiricek logical on the part of Sabres GM Kevyn Adams. Buffalo needs right-handed blueliners, especially with veteran Henri Jokiharju’s contract expiring after this season. The presence of Jiri Kulich (Jiricek’s teammate on Czechia’s World Junior clubs the last three seasons) may be a level of comfort not present in Columbus.
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The 21-year-old is in year two of his three-year entry-level contract, which means he will make $918,333 for one more season and is five years away from unrestricted free agency. His second pro contract will likely be inexpensive based on his not establishing himself after playing just 53 NHL games, and Buffalo could easily accommodate Columbus’s reported asking price (a prospect and draft choice).
The only factor that does not fit Buffalo’s needs is that Jiricek may still require some experience in the American Hockey League (after playing just 87 games spread over three seasons), while the Sabres perfect fit may be a plug-and-play blueliner with experience and term remaining on his contract or a scoring forward to bolster their inconsistent offense.
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