Minnesota Wild Recall David Jiříček

On By Littum

January 9: Shore is back in the NHL today, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. His reassignment was part of optimizing the Wild’s cap space by transfer Jakub Lauko to long-term injured reserve yesterday. Shore is expected to play against the Avalanche on Thursday.

January 8: The injury bug continues to affect the names and faces on the blue line for the Minnesota Wild. In another roster move to bring a defenseman to the NHL level, the Wild announced they have recalled the defender David Jiříček to the active list and forwarded Devin Shore to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild.

The need for another defender was created last night then Brock Faber left the game due to an upper body injury. Given the defensive outlook Carson Lambos was already filling in as a depth defender for the injured Jared Spurgeonone of Lambos or Jiříček is expected to debut with the Wild tomorrow night against the Colorado Avalanche.

That’s more insult to injury for a Minnesota roster that has battled through injuries this season. In just over a week, they’ve lost two of their top three defensemen to injury and will have to navigate their upcoming schedule with a diminished blue line. Still, the Wild remain undefeated in the new year and are 6-4-0 in their last 10 contests.

Since Jiříček is one of two healthy right-handed shooting defensemen on the roster, he will likely get the nod over Lambos in tomorrow’s game. Still, it could be a toss-up between the two blue liners given their play in the AHL this season.

Before being acquired by the Wild from the Columbus Blue Jackets in one of this season’s biggest trades, Jiříček scored two goals and three points in four games for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters a year after registering seven goals and 19 points in 29 games with the same team. .

His time in Iowa has not been so fruitful. Jiříček has only collected two assists in 11 games with the AHL Wild. That’s likely more a testament to Iowa’s style of play rather than a step back in Jiříček’s development, as the team has just one defenseman with 10 or more points this year.

Back in the AHL is Shore, who has been a bright spot for Iowa this year. He has two goals and 10 points in 14 games as an assistant captain for AHL Iowa, while tallying one assist in 21 games in Minnesota, averaging 8:21 of ice time per game. match.