3. The experts say:The No. 1 thing stands out with Jiricek is his size, as NHL Central Scouting's No. 4-ranked European skater stands 6-3 and weighs 189 pounds. He's expected to fill out as his career goes on, which would make him an intimidating presence on the right side of any blue line.
The Daily Faceoff's Chris Peters writes
, "A highly mobile, 6-foot-3 defenseman with a bomb of a shot and solid puck-moving capabilities, Jiricek has incredible upside relative to the class. … He still has a lot of development ahead of him. That said, the skill set he has shown, the well-roundedness of his game and his size profile are all reasons I have him just a hair above (Simon) Nemec in this particular class."
The Draft Prospects Hockey handbook adds
, "Physical, commanding, mobile, scoring, two-way defenseman. Difficult player to play against. Clears the front of his net. Plays physically in open ice and along the boards. … Generates a lot of power behind his slap shots. Steady two-way defenseman that has the safest floor." Possible player comps include Jacob Trouba and Alex Pietrangelo.
4. Fun facts: Jiricek is thought to be one of the best players with size in the draft, but imagine him with a tennis racquet in his hand.
Per TSN's Mark Masters
, Jiricek is also a big fan of tennis and star Rafael Nadal, and you can only think about how much power someone with Jiricek's frame might have on the tennis court.
5. Here's what's next:Jiricek has been expected to continue his career with HC Plzen, but at some point there will likely be a plan for him to move up the ranks, whether that means finding a more high-level European league for him to skate in or moving him to North America (his Canadian junior rights are held by Spokane of the WHL). But at some point, the belief is he'll be a commanding right-shot defenseman who can play big minutes sooner rather than later.
