Kent Hughes revealed why he didn't pursue David Jiricek from the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Montreal Canadiens wisely decided not to overpay for defenseman David Jiricek, despite his potential.
As seen on HabsFanatics, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft was linked to Montreal, but the Columbus Blue Jackets traded him to the Minnesota Wild.
Columbus preferred to send David Jiricek to the Western Conference rather than to an Eastern rival.
In exchange, Columbus received prospect Daemon Hunt, a conditional first-round pick in 2025 and three additional draft picks.
This steep asking price from the Columbus Blue Jackets likely factored into the Canadiens' decision to pass on Jiricek instead of trading for him.
While David Jiricek is talented, some concerns about his footwork, defensive positioning and hockey sense made him a risky acquisition.
Since he is still in development, sacrificing valuable assets for a player with noticeable flaws wasn't appealing to GM Kent Hughes.
The Canadiens appear focused on acquiring a more established and reliable right-handed defenseman rather than taking a gamble on a prospect.
This approach shows that the Canadiens' management is committed to protecting their resources and making strategic moves when the right opportunity comes.
Instead of rushing to fill a gap on defense, Kent Hughes and his team seem to prefer waiting for a better option.
That is what we see that the team is trying to avoid a high-risk trade for Jiricek and it was likely the right call for the team's long-term goals.
Would you have taken the chance on a young prospect like Jiricek?
| POLL | ||
If you were Kent Hughes, would you have traded for David Jiricek? | ||
| Yes | 26 | 31.3 % |
| No | 57 | 68.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
