COLUMBUS, Ohio — The decision to recall 18-year-old defenseman David Jiricek from AHL Cleveland was made late Tuesday as the Blue JacketsMore information was gathered about Adam Boqvist’s injury.
The hockey operations staff — including GM Jarmo Kekalainen, assistant GM Chris Clark, AHL coach Trent Vogelhuber and others — was made after careful consideration. Yet, the decision was easy.
“We’ve got two defensemen injured, and he’s been the best defenseman in Cleveland,” Kekalainen said. “That sums it up. He’s been the best defenseman there consistently and he deserves to be called up.”
Jiricek, who doesn’t turn 19 until late next month, was the Jackets’ No. 6th overall draft pick last year. He looked increasingly comfortable throughout his first NHL training camp, and now he’s back after only five games in the minors.
Jiricek will play Friday against Boston in Nationwide Arena, he’ll be the sixth-youngest player overall and the second-youngest defenseman to play for the Columbus franchise. Rostislav Klesla (18 years, 200 days) was in the lineup for the Blue Jackets’ inaugural game on Oct. 7, 2000.
“You can’t hold his age against the guy,” Kekalainen said. “I don’t look at the age, I look at the maturity of the player. That’s one thing he’s shown throughout camp and even up in Cleveland. He’s a mature young man.
“He hasn’t turned 19 yet, but he’s got a lot more experience under his belt than a normal guy his age. He’s played against men (in Czechia) and in the World Championships against a lot of NHL players.”
The Blue Jackets discovered Tuesday night that Boqvist broke his foot during the 6-3 loss. ArizonaFor six weeks, he will be absent from the lineup. One game earlier Nick BlankenburgHyperextended his left elbow, and will likely miss another week.
It’s unclear where Jiricek will fit in the lineup on Friday vs. Boston — the Blue Jackets did not practice on Wednesday — but he’ll likely play on the right side in the top four, either beside Zach WerenskiOr Vladislav Gavrikov.
Kekalainen claimed that all the dynamics of a Jiricek recalled were measured late Tuesday. It’s exceedingly rare for an 18-year-old defenseman to play in the NHL because it’s a much more nuanced and high-risk position than forward.
For a warning, the Blue Jackets can look through their history books.
Klesla was the No. Klesla, the No. 4 overall pick in 2000. He made the inaugural club from training camp and played eight Columbus games before he was re-accredited to his junior club in Ontario Hockey League.
Klesla was 19 years old when he became an NHL regular in the next season. However, the two-way game Klesla was supposed to play when drafted never happened.
Many people in the NHL and within the organization felt that he should’ve spent more time in the AHL in order to improve his offensive game. He was unable to develop his offensive skills and he was forced to survive for the first few seasons.
Kekalainen stated that the NHL will be closely following Jiricek’s progress.
“Of course,” he said. “We have a good window here to see what he can do at this level. If he’s not ready yet, he’s not ready. We’ll act accordingly.
“But it’s a good opportunity to try him now, see where he’s at (in) this level. He’s looked good in the AHL. Every game he’s played more than 20 minutes. He’s looked good against NHL players in the World Championships. It’s not like he’s getting thrown to the wolves from junior.”
Jiricek did not score in any of his five games with AHL Cleveland. However, he had four assists and two goals. This included a streak of three consecutive points. He’s generated 12 shots on goal, a plus-2 rating and one minor penalty.
While it may seem excessive to expect a rookie defenseman to do so, the Blue Jackets are in dire need of a boost. They were booed on Tuesday by their hometown crowdThey fell behind Arizona 5-0 and lost the match 6-3.
The Blue Jackets have a disappointing start (3-5-0). They’re allowing 4.13 goals per game (27th in the league) and are 0-for-20 on the power play.
“Every once in a while every team’s going to have a stinker,” Kekalainen said. “We had one (on Tuesday).
“There wasn’t one guy — not one guy! — on the team that you could say, ‘You know, the team didn’t play very well, but that guy played pretty well.’ Not one guy!
“It’s a small margin in the NHL. They’re all good teams. They’re all coming for blood when they smell it. It’s time to get it right and play more often. Some guys are struggling with their confidence right this moment. You can tell they’re squeezing the stick without a lot to show for.”
(Photo by David Jiricek: Eric Bolte/USA Today)
