Adam Jiricek – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Adam Jiricek

2023-24 Team: HC Plzen U20/HC Plzen (Czechia)
Date of Birth: June 28, 2006
Place of Birth: Plzen, Czechia
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 168 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible

Rankings

Heading into 2023-24, Adam Jiricek was being mentioned alongside top-10 locks Artyom Levshunov and Sam Dickinson. Now, he’s dropped to the top 20 in a few rankings and could end up being a steal for a team that is on track to make the playoffs this season. This drop is not based on performance, though, as he’s been injured since the first game of the 2024 World Juniors. After having surgery on his knee shortly after, he has also been ruled out of the 2024 U18 World Championship, yet another showcase event for scouts to further evaluate the top prospects.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

Basically, all scouts have is video and live viewings from the first few months of the regular season in Czechia and the Hlinka Gretzky tournament last summer where he was one of Team Czechia’s best players. That’s not a lot of recent play to go off of, especially when his peers have been playing and improving around him.

Adam Jiricek HC Plzeň
Adam Jiricek, HC Plzeň (Photo Credit: HC Plzeň)

Despite that, Jiricek is still a high-end talent with the potential to become a solid top-four (or even top-pairing) defenseman in the future. His strengths lie in his size, skating, mobility, and first pass. Similar to his brother David, who was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022, he is a well-rounded two-way player that can be used in all situations from the power play to the penalty kill and everywhere in between. He isn’t shy about taking the body either. Once he bulks up and fills into his 6-foot-2 frame, he is going to be a scary presence when opponents try and enter the offensive zone against him.

Jiricek also has a bomb from the point, but as some scouts have pointed out, doesn’t always make it to the net with enough frequency. It’s great to have a big shot, but if it doesn’t make it to the goaltender, it’s kind of useless. Getting shots through traffic is a skill in itself, and for it to be a legitimate weapon in the future, he has to work on that aspect of it.

Another weakness of Jiricek’s is his skating style. While he has good acceleration and mobility, it sometimes looks awkward as he moves up the ice. But with some work with a skating coach, that can be easily ironed out in the future. As a result, I am not too worried about it. All in all, he has a massive ceiling as a modern defensive defenseman like Devon Toews, Charlie McAvoy or Jaccob Slavin, defenders that are good all-around, can move the puck and provide solid no-nonsense play in their own zone.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Adam Jiricek – NHL Draft Projection

Despite the injury, Jiricek should still get selected in the first round – just not in the top 10 like everyone expected before the World Juniors. His overall package will be too difficult to ignore for many teams, especially for the ones that miss out on Levshunov, Dickinson, Buium and Parekh. I see him going around the 15-20 mark, maybe even to a team that makes the playoffs.

Quotables

“Adam Jiříček is a well-rounded, two-way defenseman who doesn’t excel at one certain skill but plays a polished game. He’s not as aggressive as his older brother David but doesn’t shy away from physical play and has the potential to be a solid all-around top-four defenseman at the NHL level.” – Matej Deraj, McKeen’s Hockey

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“Playing against men, Adam Jiricek looks like a functional player at both ends of the ice. He played with hesitation in this game, which can be a bit of an issue at times because he is so often trying to keep mistakes to a minimum.” – Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News

“Jiříček has the makings of a modern two-way defenceman, in a similar vein with his brother. It starts with his aggressive mindset. Jiříček is always looking to get involved and contribute in all three zones, whether it’s by pinching to keep the play alive in the offensive end or by activating from the point, with or without the puck.” – Lassi Alanen, Elite Prospects (from ‘Future Vision: Adam Jiříček’s two-way prowess makes him a potential top pick in the 2024 NHL draft’, EPRinkside, 9/1/23)

Strengths

  • Two-way game
  • Hockey IQ
  • Mobility
  • Motor
  • Heavy shot
  • Physicality
  • Good first pass

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Skating style (has an awkward stride)
  • Decision-making under pressure

NHL Potential

Jiricek’s ceiling is definitely that of a top-four defender in the NHL. He will be an all-situations player who might not quarterback a power play but not look out of place either. His value will come on the penalty kill and five-on-five, where he will be a complementary player to a more offensive-minded defenseman – while being able to put up points himself too.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2/5, Reward – 5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 7/10, Defence – 8/10

Awards/Achievements

Jiricek won a silver medal with Team Czechia at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he had three assists in five games. He also played in the 2024 World Juniors, where, despite getting injured in his first game, got a bronze medal.

Interviews/Profile Links

Adam Jiricek Statistics

Videos