The Columbus Blue Jackets have loaned defenseman David Jiricek and forward Mikael Pyyhtia to the Cleveland Monsters, the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today.
Jiricek, 20, has collected one assist and four penalty minutes in six games with the Blue Jackets this season. He has recorded 1-10-11 and 28 penalty minutes in 53 career appearances with the club since making his NHL debut in 2022-23. The 6-4, 204-pound defenseman has added 13-44-57 and 57 PIM in 84 career AHL contests with the Monsters from 2022-24. A native of Klatovy, Czech Republic, Jiricek was selected in the first round, sixth overall, by Columbus at the 2022 NHL Draft.
Pyyhtia, 22, skated in the first 17 games of the season for the Blue Jackets, and notched his first career goal on October 28 against Edmonton. He has registered 1-3-4 with four penalty minutes in 36 career games with the team since making his NHL debut at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. A native of Turku, Finland, he has added 10-21-31 and six penalty minutes in 67 career games with the Monsters from 2022-24. The 6-0, 176-pound forward was selected by the Blue Jackets in the fourth round, 114th overall, at the 2020 NHL Draft.
Columbus returns to action on Thursday when the team hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nationwide Arena. Game time is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FanDuel Sports Network begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
