SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired defenseman David Jiricek (YIHR-ih-chuhk) and a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Daemon Hunt, a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft (Top Five Protected), a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft (previously acquired from Colorado), a fourth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Entry (previously acquired from Toronto) and second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. If Minnesota’s first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft is one of the first five selections, the Wild will retain the pick and transfer its 2026 first-round selection to the Blue Jackets. Jiricek will report to the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Jiricek, 21 (11/28/03), has collected one assist in six games with Columbus and three points (2-1=3) in four games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) this season. The 6-foot-4, 204-pound native of Klatovy, Czech Republic recorded 10 points (1-9=10) and 22 penalty minutes (PIM) in 43 games with the Blue Jackets in 2023-24. He ranked T-9th among NHL rookie defensemen in assists and T-11th in scoring. Jiricek also tallied 19 points (7-12=19) in 29 contests with Cleveland and added 11 points (3-8=11) in 14 Calder Cup Playoff in 2023-24. He ranked third among AHL blueliners in scoring and T-4th in assists during the Calder Cup Playoffs.
The right-shot defenseman made his NHL debut on Oct. 28, 2022, against the Boston Bruins and tallied his first career NHL goal on Oct. 14, 2023, against the New York Rangers (Igor Shesterkin). He notched 11 points (1-10=11) and 28 PIM in 53 career NHL games with Columbus (2022-24). Jiricek notched 60 points (15-45=60) including six power-play goals (PPG), 168 shots on goal and 59 PIM in 88 career AHL games with Cleveland (2022-24).
He represented Czechia at the 2021, 2022 (silver medal) and 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships and the 2022 IIHF World Championship (bronze medal). Jiricek was named the top defenseman at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship and was named to the tournament All-Star Team. He was selected by Columbus in the first-round (sixth overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Hunt, 21 (5/15/22), was selected by Minnesota in the third-round (65th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He collected one assist in 13 games in parts of two seasons with the Wild (2023-24) and recorded 45 points (6-39=45) and 48 PIM in 125 games in parts of four AHL seasons (2020-24) with Iowa.
