Blues choose Adam Jiricek 16th overall
The St. Louis Blues drafted defenseman Adam Jiricek with the 16th overall pick Friday night.
Adam Jiricek
The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Jiricek's brother, David, sixth overall in 2022. Adam wasn't as highly touted but came into the draft as a projected first-round pick in his own right. However, his stock took a hit due to injuries.
Jiricek hurt his knee in Czechia's first game at the World Junior Championship in December, and the injury ultimately proved to be season-ending. That made it difficult for him to make more of an impression in his draft year, but Jiricek - who turned 18 on Friday - earned praise from scouts for his skating when healthy.
He also sustained a concussion earlier this season, which forced him to miss a month just before the world juniors. So his misfortune in the health department left him with a small sample size for NHL teams to evaluate. But he proved to be a promising two-way blue-liner in the games he did play.
Jiricek doesn't have a booming shot from the point like his brother and isn't as physical, but Adam has displayed skill at both ends of the ice.