Jiricek gets warm Wild welcome amid Minnesota chill

The Cleveland Lumberjacks were on a road trip in Grand Rapids, Mich., when defenseman David Jiricek was summoned by team management and informed that as of Saturday, he was a member of the Minnesota Wild.

Jiricek, who turned 21 last week, hopped on a westbound plane and got to St. Paul with little more than the clothes on his back but by Monday morning had been well-outfitted with Wild gear for his first official practice with the new employer.

Surrounded by reporters at TRIA Rink once he got off the ice, the sizeable Czech said that getting some cold-weather gear would be his first priority in his new home.

“I’m excited. It’s the greatest hockey state. That’s the first thing I know. And the second thing is it’s fricking cold out there,” Jiricek said, getting a big laugh immediately.

The trade represents a fresh start after Jiricek did not get to be an every night member of the blue line corps with the Columbus Blue Jackets after they made him the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

“I’m still young, but that was my first and — I hope — last trade,” he said. “I can handle it. I just want to be a pro and be hard in practice and in games, too.”

While Wild coach John Hynes said that he does not expect Jiricek to play on Tuesday when the Wild host Vancouver, he generally liked what he saw from the new guy on day one.

“It was good,” Hynes said. “I think it’s about him also feeling comfortable. He’s a really young kid, 21, getting traded to different organizations. So, I thought it was good for him, and then on the ice obviously you can see the size, and obviously he has some skill.”

Jiricek’s 6-foot-4 frame is the first thing that stands out, literally, when he is on the ice. Wild defenseman Brock Faber, who played against Jiricek in the 2021 World Junior Championships, said that hulking frame catches your eye immediately.

“It’s one practice, but the first impression was definitely ‘holy (smoke) he’s tall,’” Faber said. “He has a long, good stick and a lot of skill for being that big. I haven’t seen many people that big that can kind of move with the puck like that. It’s fun to see, and I’m glad he’s on our team.”

Buium named to 2025 World Juniors prelim roster

Team USA has a gold medal to defend later this month when the world’s top young hockey players meet in Ottawa for the 2025 World Juniors.

Among those expected to be wearing red, white and blue for the tournament is Zeev Buium, the University of Denver defenseman who was Minnesota’s first-round pick in last summer’s NHL Draft. Buium was among 28 players named to the preliminary roster by Denver head coach David Carle, who will coach Team USA again this season.

The Americans will have a training camp Dec. 16-17 in Plymouth, Mich., where the final cuts will be made before the team travels to Canada for the two-week tournament.

Hynes, who coached Team USA to a fourth-place finish in the 2008 World Juniors in Czechia, said playing for your country is a valuable experience for young players.

“It’s some of the best amateur hockey in the world,” he said. “It’s a highly-covered event, there’s media, there’s pressure at the high level, so I think it’s a great experience for players to be able to go in and play high-pressure hockey, play against elite players from around the world in a high-stakes environment.”

Minnesotans named to the preliminary roster include Wisconsin defenseman Logan Hensler (Woodbury); St. Cloud State defenseman Colin Ralph (Maple Grove), Minnesota Duluth defenseman Adam Kleber (Chaska), Gophers forward Oliver Moore (Mounds View), Notre Dame forward Danny Nelson (Maple Grove), St. Cloud State forward Austin Burnevik (Blaine), Western Michigan goalie Hampton Slukynsky (Warroad) and Gophers forward Brodie Ziemer (Hutchinson).

Team USA’s opening game is on Dec. 26 vs. Germany in Ottawa.