Insider: 5 or 6 Concrete Offers on the Table For David Jiricek

He's a 6'4", 209-pound behemoth on defense, and yet he's also a strong skater, and owns a booming shot. As a former No. 6 overall selection in the NHL Draft (2022), David Jiricek has plenty of suitors now that the Columbus Blue Jackets have put him out there on the trade market.

According to insider Frank Seravalli on his Daily Faceoff Live podcast on Tuesday, he specifically notes just how hefty the demand for Jiricek is:

I believe Columbus Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell has 5 to 6 concrete offers on the table that he's evaluating. I think they were relatively close to a deal at some point over the weekend, and I think they made significant progress on Monday to the point where some thought a deal might get done. But with a young player of this stature, Don Waddell and his staff want to make sure they're not leaving any stones unturned around the league.

Seravalli added there are even more teams that wanted to get into the mix here, but were turned back by the Blue Jackets.

Columbus is looking for a player of similar stature—a young, high-end pick or something similar.

Seravalli spoke of the Minnesota Wild being "one of the frontrunners", while the Philadelphia Flyers (as we discussed here), and the Pittsburgh Penguins round out the top three suitors at this point.

Earlier Tuesday, we outlined an intriguing offer from the Penguins.

The insider then added that the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres are the others that "can't be counted out."

Needless to say, not all hockey observers think it's the best idea to be trading a 21-year-old Top 6 pick just two years after he was drafted.

It is beyond foolish that the Blue Jackets are going to trade Jiricek. He turns 21 in two days and isn't close to a finished product. They will regret this deal. For a long time.
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) November 26, 2024