Flyers Named Potential Frontrunners for David Jiricek Trade

As trade talks and rumors continue to heat up around the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers have been named as a potential trade destination for one of the hottest names on the market: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek.

Jiricek, 20, has bounced around between the AHL and NHL for the majority of his Blue Jackets career, and as a result, the relationship between the player and the organization has deteriorated greatly in recent months.

Consequentially, the Blue Jackets are now weighing their options and will seriously consider a trade package that matches their valuation of Jiricek.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman believes that the Flyers are one such team capable of satisfying Columbus’s trade criteria.

In his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast episode, Friedman reveals that there are some teams who feel they are closing in on a potential deal with the Blue Jackets for Jiricek. Friedman did not specifically name the Flyers as one of those teams, though he believes the Flyers, by name, have the assets to make it happen.

“I don’t like to mention it all the time. We know the situation is out there,” Friedman said of Jiricek. “I did hear on Saturday there were some rumors of some teams who thought they might be getting close. But, (Jiricek) played in the American Hockey League on Saturday night. I think if he was close to getting dealt, he probably wouldn’t have played that night.

“I’ve heard they’re looking for a young player – a similar young player. Maybe someone who hasn’t ‘popped’ yet.”

As a rebuilding team with one of the youngest rosters in the NHL, the Flyers certainly fit the bill.

“Another team that’s got a lot of young players, but I don’t know how they feel about this, is Philadelphia,” Friedman said. “I’m looking at teams who’ve got young players who maybe haven’t popped yet and you could make that kind of a deal.

“I don’t know if there’s a favorite here.”

Because Jiricek has NHL experience, the Blue Jackets would likely want a player with NHL experience back. Given the Flyers’ logjam at the winger position, Tyson Foerster, a sophomore forward on an expiring contract, would make some sense.

By making a move like that, the Flyers could strengthen their pool of defense prospects while also giving an opportunity to players like Anthony Richard, Olle Lycksell, and Samu Tuomaala. It could also open a path to more playing time for a guy like Bobby Brink.

Veteran winger Joel Farabee, who is still only 24, is another name that has been thrown out in rumors a fair bit. Columbus could use the upgrade in their top-six, but Farabee’s contract length and salary could be tough to commit to.

At the other end of the ice, it wouldn’t make too much sense to move off Emil Andrae or Helge Grans so early. The oft-injured Jamie Drysdale matches the criteria in theory, but the Flyers needed an extra second-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks to make the Cutter Gauthier deal possible.

The Blue Jackets have had a scout at the Wells Fargo Center on multiple occasions this season, so it’s possible there’s some dialogue being had there. This more circumstantial evidence of that than hard proof, but on paper, the Flyers and the Blue Jackets are logical trade partners here.