Jacket Prospects Star at the World Juniors
The big club might be struggling, but a lot of the Jacket Prospects in the system are looking pretty good. This year’s World Junior Championships saw three players whose rights are owned by the Blue Jackets play very well – helping their team to a silver medal.
While the team only sent three players to Halifax, all skating for Czechia; it’s hard to be upset about their performances. Czechia is always competitive at these tournaments, though they usually don’t stand a chance against regular powerhouses like Canada, Sweden, the United States or Russia.
But this year was different. The underdog Czechs – led by two talented Jacket prospects on the back end, were in the tournament right from day 1; when they beat a stacked Canadian team to open the tournament.
Their thrilling OT win over Sweden on Wednesday night, meant that they would be guaranteed a medal in this tournament for the first time since taking home bronze in 2005. They would get to play in a gold medal game for the first time since 2001 – when they won their second gold in a row. The Canadians won on the other side of the bracket, and the final was set.
Things didn’t start out too well for Team Czechia in the gold medal game, as Canada struck early and then carried a 2-0 lead into the third period. But the Czechs, as they did all tournament, just kept clawing away. They scored twice in 54 seconds mid-way through the third period, and took the Canadians to overtime.
While Dylan Guenther provided the dagger, scoring the OT winner on a 2-on-1 feed to win gold, Czechia played extremely well in a game against a team loaded with top NHL prospects. Silver medals in this tournament are nothing to be upset about, it’s a very proud moment for a country that may be seeing their hockey renaissance.
They were our team, in a way…
Captaining the Czechs: Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Stanislav Svozil. He scored once and added 7 assists in the tournament, and was dangerous in every game for his team. He was frequently up in the play, often with the puck on his stick, generating offense like a fourth forward.
Svozil showed off his terrific hands and vision on plenty of occasions, and really made an argument for himself as one of the best defensemen in the entire tournament. Originally a 3rd round pick (#69 overall, 2021), Svozil is a prospect quickly on the rise, who should be on your radar as a future Blue Jacket.
Gabriel Szturc fires home a pass from Svozil to give Czechia a 6-1 lead 🚨#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/vaiCUnF8vH
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2023
Martin Rysavy (7th round, #197, 2021) brought his big, heavy, North American style of play to the tournament for Czechia, and was a very effective forward for them throughout the tournament. By playing in straight lines and keeping his feet moving, he was a nightmare off the rush and on the forecheck for the Czechs – particularly in their game against Sweden.
Though held to just 1 goal and 3 points, he was one of the more consistent forwards on the ice for the team. He kept the opposing defenses honest, went to the tough areas and freed up space for the skilled forwards on his own team. Though he remains unsigned by the Jackets, he’s an interesting player to watch. Will he earn an NHL contract?
Not to be overlooked: the top prospect in the entire Columbus system, defenseman David Jiricek (1st round, #6 overall, 2022). Jiricek was nothing short of dynamic for the Czechs, dominant on both sides of the puck and in all situations for his team – he was named the top defenseman in the entire tournament.
Jiricek scored 3 goals and 7 points for Czechia, including the tying goal in their semi final game against Sweden. He was all over the ice, but what impressed me most was how he made adjustments on the fly and found different ways to make an impact. His goal against Sweden is a prime example: he’d been mid-point on many occasions, only to see his shot blocked. So he went down low, almost to the goal line, before working his way back up the side boards to get open for the one-timer:
Another look at @DavidJiricek game-tying goal in the semi-final that sent 🇨🇿 @narodnitym into overtime!
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) January 5, 2023
👀 Watch it with our player & puck tracking system👣🏒
#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/sLNMFS7MPj
Jiricek is already producing at a point-per-game pace in the AHL, something that’s pretty much unheard of for a teenage defenseman in that league. He continues to rapidly improve on both sides of the puck, and I don’t think there’s much doubt that this guy will be a prominent member of the Blue Jackets for years to come.
While there were some obvious snubs for Blue Jacket prospects at this tournament, we should be incredibly proud of this trio and the way they played for their country. There is a much brighter future on the horizon for this team … they just need time.
dark. Next. Johnny Gaudreau Headed to the All-Star Game