With the 19th pick, the Vegas Golden Knights might be inclined to select the big and talented Adam Jiricek.
With the 19th pick, the Vegas Golden Knights might be inclined to select the big and talented Adam Jiricek.
Heading into the season, Jiricek was viewed as a potential top-10 pick but dropped in the rankings due to injuries, not his play. Teams like the Golden Knights who made the playoffs, could be the beneficiaries of a talented prospect dropping due to an injury.
Jiricek spent last season playing with HC Plzen in the Czech Extraliga. Due to his injury suffered at the World Juniors, he played in just 19 games and recorded one assist. In the previous season, Jiricek played in the U20 league and scored 12 goals and 29 points in 41 games as a 16-year-old.
Currently, the Czech-born defenseman is 17 years old and is set to turn 18 on the day of the draft. He's right-handed, listed at 6'2 and 168 lbs. His current weight leaves a lot of room to grow into his frame.
Despite his lean build, Jiricek isn't afraid to throw his body around and play a physical brand of hockey.
Jiricek fits the mould of the modern-day defenseman. He skates well, is excellent at retrieving pucks below his red line and starting the transition and plays physically when he needs to. His shot from the point is a threat but his accuracy and ability to get it through traffic isn't as developed as the power he generates.
Adam's brother David was selected sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 draft. They are both two-way defensemen with very refined and polished games.
If the Golden Knights do select Jiricek, he would have the advantage of learning under Alex Pietrangelo and Zach Whitecloud. They are built similarly and are great examples of effective two-way defensemen in the NHL.
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