Trading For David Jiricek Would Be A No-Brainer For the Wild

Recent sixth-round picks rarely become available via the trade market, particularly when the rebuilding team is shopping that player around.

And yet, that's exactly where the Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves this Black Friday. Suddenly, they're shopping their 2022 6^th overall pick, defenseman David Jiricek, at a supposed bargain. The Wild find themselves smack dab as the purported front-runner in the middle of every rumor.

The reasons are well-exhausted if you’ve been following along the past week. Tony Abbott explained why Columbus was shopping Jircek a few days ago. The Blue Jackets don’t think his game is where it needs to be defensively to be a regular NHLer. However, Jiricek and his camp believe the young Czechian is ready to graduate from the AHL, which he has dominated.

The standstill has led to what seems to be an unrepairable situation, and Columbus is attempting to recoup a bit on its investment in Jiricek, who recently turned 21. Compensation for right-handed defensemen seems to have also dropped recently. No team has stepped up to offer a prized prospect in return.

For those reasons, the Wild and their deep pool of second-tier prospects have emerged as a leading candidate. For those same reasons, Minnesota's front office should view this potential trade as a no-brainer.

We aren’t going to get into the potential compensation for Jiricek here -- Tony covered that in his piece. The consensus is that no trade would involve the Wild’s top prospects in Jesper Wallstedt, Danila Yurov, or Zeev Buium.

That’s all I need to hear to pound the table for general manager Bill Guerin to execute a deal.

It makes too much sense. The Wild sorely lack a big, mobile, offensive-minded right-handed defenseman on the cusp of becoming an everyday NHLer in their prospect pool.

But it’s more than that. Outside of Jiricek's value dropping like the smoker you've had your eye on this Black Friday or his fit in the Wild prospect makeup, the short- and long-term value makes Jiricek a perfect fit for the Minnesota Wild.

Remember, Guerin is in Year 2 of the five-year plan he proposed last summer to his boss and owner, Craig Leopold. He designed the plan to ice a perennial Stanley Cup contender in that window and give the Wild a shot at bringing their first championship to St. Paul.

Much of that plan hinges on Guerin’s ability to re-sign superstar Kirill Kaprizov to an extension. However, Minnesota also needs improvements around the edges of its roster. I know it seems odd the Wild would be looking to improve upon a defensive core that already ranks among the best in the NHL in nearly every metric. But in this case, it’s about more than bolstering a strength.

It's about insulating your aging core and contributing veterans to the ice, not only the best defensive core in hockey in the short and long term.

Captain Jared Spurgeon turned 35 today. While the Wild will undoubtedly immortalize his name and number in the Xcel Energy Center rafters once his playing days are over, he still has two years remaining on his contract following this season.

Spurgeon continues to play as though he’s still 25. However, his recent injury history is concerning. He’s missed 117 games in the past four seasons and another handful earlier this year. He’s been honest about his recovery from hip and knee surgeries last season, admitting he would require “daily maintenance throughout the 2024-25 season.”

That’s not the sign of an aging veteran turning back the clock. Spurgeon remains an elite defender when he's in the lineup, but the Wild need an in-house solution to protect the last few seasons of Spurgeon’s $7.6 million contract.

Brock Faber is the natural answer, but only part of it. The Wild thrive on having the best top-four blue-line unit in the NHL. It’s a large reason they are among the best teams in suppressing expected goals every year. Removing Spurgeon from the equation eliminates their greatest strength and weakens the identity of their team. Do you remember how last season turned out?

Bringing in Jiricek now would give the Wild the insurance they desperately need in the short term. Yes, Jiricek is not the same player Spurgeon is, but he would still fit perfectly into the top four due to his handedness and a style of play that would mesh perfectly with the rest of the unit should Spurgeon miss time in the next few years.

Right now, when fully healthy, the Wild’s blue line pairs up as follows:

• Jake Middleton – Faber
• Jonas Brodin – Spurgeon
• Jon Merrill – Zach Bogosian

Should Spurgeon’s injury history take him out of the lineup for significant time, having Jiricek available would enable the Wild to avoid elevating their third pair into roles outside their skillset. Instead, the Wild could slot Jiricek alongside Brodin, the league's best defensive-minded defenseman. Not only would Jiricek be able to learn from the best, but he would also be free to do what he does best in providing elite offense from the blue line.

Jiricek could give the Wild short-term options should their aging captain miss time. At this point, it seems more when than if.

But what about the long-term vision for Jiricek? How would he fit into this lineup when the Wild are competing for a Stanley Cup in the final year or two of their five-year plan? Suppose Jiricek reaches his potential as a dominant offensive defenseman with the size to defend adequately. How would their defensive core look with the near arrival of the similarly offensively-inclined Buium?

Jiricek could be the missing piece in a young core who all could be elevated into larger roles as their veterans slide back into less prominent roles better suited for their age. Imagine the Wild in the final year of Spurgeon’s contract, hopefully with Kaprizov inked to a long-term deal to anchor the forward group and the defensive core below:

• Buium – Faber
• Brodin – Jiricek
• Middleton – Spurgeon

A lot could change between now and then, not only in health but also in the development of these young defensemen. But this is why you draft well, as the Wild have done in the Guerin era. Not only to accumulate young talent for your roster but also to take swings at trades that have the potential to secure your blue line as perhaps the most dominant group in the entire NHL for years to come. 

Trading for Jiricek now while his value is at its lowest could be the perfect bargain-bin gamble the Wild need to boost them into contention during the next few years. And the Wild find themselves at the front of the line, standing in the cold and waiting for the Blue Jackets to open the door.