Negotiated Trade Between Canadiens and Blue Jackets: Price Was Too High for Kent Hughes
The Montreal Canadiens opted for caution by deciding not to overpay to acquire the services of defenseman David Jiricek.
The sixth overall pick in the 2022 draft was linked to the Canadiens, but as you know, he was ultimately acquired by Bill Guerin.
The management of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who preferred to trade Jiricek to a team in the Western Conference, ultimately concluded a deal with the Minnesota Wild.
In return, the Blue Jackets received prospect Daemon Hunt, a conditional first-round pick in 2025, as well as three other draft picks.
David Jiricek was not the right target for Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens
Despite his undeniable talent, David Jiricek presents certain risks.
His footwork, defensive positioning, and hockey sense raised concerns among interested teams.
For the Canadiens, the price asked for Jiricek was too high, particularly in the context where valuable assets would have been sacrificed for a player still in development.
The Canadiens' management seems to prefer a cautious approach, seeking to strengthen the right side of their defense with a more experienced and established player.
Meanwhile, David Jiricek was reassigned to the American Hockey League by the Wild, further highlighting doubts about his development.
Kent Hughes and his team appear determined to protect their resources and wait for a better opportunity to strengthen the Canadiens' defense.
The reason he was not acquired by the Canadiens is simply because the management did not want to overpay for a young player with certain red flags (and that's a very good thing in my opinion).
| POLL | ||
Do you think the Canadiens were right not to overpay for David Jiricek? | ||
