The St. Louis Blues will have a star defenseman in Adam Jiricek, but they also need to develop him right, which is the case for a few prospects. While Jiricek would like nothing more than to steal a spot in Arch City, he and the Blues would be better off if he steered clear for another year.
Last season wasn't exactly a wash, but through his first campaign on North American ice, Jiricek saw time in just 36 combined games in the regular season and playoffs, putting up five goals and 14 points.
Jiricek, who clocks in as a mobile puck-mover with an offensive mindset, could've fared better. But, a knee injury slowed his development, and that all comes with it being a learning curve of a year. That's why I'd advocate for him sticking around the Brantford Bulldogs for another season.
No need for the St. Louis Blues to rush Adam Jiricek onto NHL ice
Right now, the Blues have veteran defensemen like Cam Fowler, Colton Parayko, and Justin Faulk, all of whom can still play. Then you got youngsters like Logan Mailloux, Philip Broberg, and Tyler Tucker all looking like future full-timers, and guys who are more than ready for NHL ice time.
That said, it makes zero sense to rush Jiricek into action, especially since he never got a chance to play an entire season at the junior level. He's shown promise, both in the OHL and during international play at the World Juniors when he put up five assists in seven contests for Team Czechia.
So, give him that full season, which should be a major confidence booster for 2026-27, when, should he stay healthy, Jiricek will have a full OHL campaign behind him. It would also give the Blues a better measuring stick of where he stands heading into the 2026 offseason.
Refusing to rush and taking a step back is an absolute strength for the Blues
Now, this isn't saying the Blues shouldn't strongly consider calling in Jiricek for a cameo appearance late in the year. Should he excel in Brantford, then I'd have no problem giving him one (or a few) games in that rebranded Blues uniform to see how he fares against top-level NHL talent.
And this shouldn't be a demoralizing piece for fans, but an optimistic one. Keeping prospects in the lower leagues, refuisng to rush them, and letting them develop, means you have a strong prospects pool and a good team.
So, it's a strength that the Blues must leverage to their advantage. And the more they do, the better off prospects like Jiricek will be.