Jacket Prospects Star at the World Juniors

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.

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:

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.