The Columbus Blue Jackets are going to add a couple of exciting young players to their roster this season. Adam Fantilli has high expectations coming into his rookie season and will be one of the few first-year players around the league who should be able to compete with the Chicago Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard. On defense, David Jiricek had a few games with the Blue Jackets last season, but he has a chance to become a full-time NHLer in 2023-24.
Fantilli is almost guaranteed to be on the opening-night roster, while Jiricek will have to fight through the logjam to earn his spot. However, if they both make the roster, they should have a legitimate case to win the Calder Memorial Trophy by the season’s end. It’ll be a difficult competition this season, with players such as the aforementioned Bedard and Matthew Knies being seen as a few of the favorites which our Rob Couch discussed earlier this week; however, neither of the Blue Jackets’ rookies should be ignored.
The Case for Fantilli
Before the draft, many considered Bedard and Fantilli as the consensus first- and second-overall picks. Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek went in another direction and took Swedish forward Leo Carlsson with the second-overall pick, allowing Columbus to get Fantilli third overall. The former University of Michigan Wolverine had a tremendous debut season at the NCAA level. He not only led his team in scoring but the entirety of the league as well; beating out players such as Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Knies. Fantilli put up nearly two points per game with 65 in 36 games, which would be impressive for any collegiate player but even more so for a freshman. He even went on to win the 2023 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, Fantilli has accomplished nearly everything he could at the collegiate level in just a single season. The only thing that evaded him unfortunately was a national championship.
Despite not playing a single shift in the NHL, Fantilli could be the most skilled center on the Blue Jackets, and he could be slotted in to play alongside the organization’s other superstars, Johnny Gaudreau, and Patrik Laine, for most of the season. Fantilli will undoubtedly play in all situations right out of the gate as well. His offensive skill will make him a key piece of the power play while his reliability in his own end of the ice will ensure him a spot on the penalty kill. As a result, he’ll get more ice time than most other rookies, which will give him more opportunities to impress.
Bedard will have Taylor Hall on one side, but he won’t have a strong right-winger to complete the line. If new Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock is willing to try the young center, the Blue Jackets could finally have a legitimate first line with Fantilli, Laine, and Gaudreau. If that’s the case, Fantilli could easily score 50 to 60 points, which would be enough to put him in the Calder conversation.
The Case for Jiricek
Jiricek, the 2022 sixth-overall pick, made a name for himself during his rookie campaign with the Cleveland Monsters in the American Hockey League (AHL). The Czech defender was phenomenal on both ends of the ice during the 2022-23 season. He put up 38 points through 55 games in his first professional season in North America. His professional experience in his native Czechia dates back to the 2019-20 season when he was only 16 years old. During his first season on this side of the world, he even got an opportunity to show his abilities at the NHL level; although it was a very small sample size. He played well during his four games with the Blue Jackets, even if it wasn’t always represented on the offensive scoresheet. Now is the perfect time for him to take a step forward and carry his strong performance to the next level.
Many are expecting Brandt Clarke, Simon Nemec, and Luke Hughes to be the top defensemen in this rookie class, but Jiricek should undoubtedly be in the conversation as well. The fact that he’ll have to beat out a player such as Adam Boqvist, Jake Bean, or Andrew Peeke for a job to start the season means he’ll have motivation from the first day of training camp. He’s not guaranteed to be on the opening-night roster, and that may make him even more dangerous this season. It’s likely that a forward will win the Calder Trophy based on the number of high-end skilled rookies entering the league this season, but if a defenseman does manage to sneak into the conversation, don’t be surprised if it’s Jiricek.
Related: How Mike Babcock Can Win Over Columbus
The Blue Jackets aren’t likely to be in the running for many awards this season; however, their impressive rookie class could put themselves on the map and bring in a piece of hardware that Columbus hasn’t seen since Steve Mason. Fantilli is most likely to be near the front of the race, but Jiricek could make a strong case for himself. Regardless, it will be an exciting season to watch the team’s prospects attempt to make an impact in the NHL.
