Kraken prospect Jakub Fibigr bolts for Ohio State, igniting a race against the June 1st deadline to secure his NHL future.
Czechia defensemen Jakub Fibigr (7) celebrates his power play goal against Switzerland during the third period in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn ImagesWindsor Spitfires defenseman Jakub Fibigr is the latest player from the OHL to commit to an NCAA school. The Czech defender will be joining Ohio State University starting in the fall of 2026.
Fibigr, 19, is currently in his third season in the OHL. He transitioned from junior leagues in his home country, Czechia, to the fast-paced environment of the OHL. He joined the Mississauga (now Brampton) Steelheads for the 2023-24 season after being selected 13th overall in the 2023 CHL Import Draft.
As part of their rebuilding process, the Steelheads traded Fibigr to the Windsor Spitfires at this year's trade deadline. In exchange, they received three draft picks and 2008-born defenseman Carter Hicks.
The smooth-skating left-shot rearguard is the type of defenseman who won’t blow you away with one specific dynamic quality in his game. Instead, he’s the type that does everything well, brings a reliable effort and thought process on each shift, and plays a mistake-free game.
Fibigr is coming off a silver medal performance at the 2026 World Junior Championship with Czechia, where he was an assistant captain playing alongside Brantford Bulldogs defender Adam Jiricek. The two together formed one of the tournament's best all-around defense pairs, effectively making an impact at both ends of the rink.
Fibigr was drafted by the Seattle Kraken 202nd overall in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Draft. It’s important to note that while he is without an NHL contract, signing his entry-level contract with the Kraken before the start of next season would negate his NCAA commitment.
In addition to that, Seattle has until June 1, 2026, to sign Fibigr to a contract, or else he will become a free agent. Committing to an NCAA school for next season would signal that the Kraken will not be signing Fibigr.
Fellow OHLers Ben Wilmott and Edison Engle are projected to join Fibigr at Ohio State next season.
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