Jiricek

[Frank Underwood]

I love how aggressive Jiricek plays. Last nights game and the last couple I’m noticing how often he’s getting open in the O zone and the puck isn’t making g it to him. Hes hungry to score more. Last nights goal was a great example where he just pounced to take the shot. Glad he’s in the OHL this year. Let him build his confidence and learn what he can do and can’t do.

You hit on a key thing…..most people on Blues Talk have only seen a little bit of Jiricek, and it was the tentative version as he was recovering from knee surgery. He’s not the same player he was last year and should only get better (and bigger) from here.

[seattleblue]

I love how aggressive Jiricek plays. Last nights game and the last couple I’m noticing how often he’s getting open in the O zone and the puck isn’t making g it to him. Hes hungry to score more. Last nights goal was a great example where he just pounced to take the shot. Glad he’s in the OHL this year. Let him build his confidence and learn what he can do and can’t do.

He always had that aggressive thing in the zone. He used to be a forward. so the swooping jump ups (he's a swooper) into the zone are what I'm used to seeing. He seems a bit better at them as he's aging up and playing against younger kids each year. What's new is the physicality. At the start of this game my notes on him weren't going the right way: icing, bad hold at the line, etc. But he is part of an offensive press on a highly talented team that can swarm a zone. Brantford is good, so he will get to do this often. He is very very fast as a skater, and at this level he can make up for some positioning with hustle back but not at the next level, so I am looking for more body control and more good defensive decisionmaking.

Fischer was the better player in this game overall.

One thing, Jiricek was getting #1 minutes in this game. and I questioned that previously when he wasn't getting top minutes. So that is a strong positive, getting more game situations.

[seattleblue]

Fischer and Jiricek playing today. Fischer early (11am pacific), Jiricek late (3pm pacific)

[seattleblue]

Fischer had a nice two on one in the first period and his slapshot is the weapon they look to set up on the attack. They are hosting an excellent London team, and Fischer already stood up for teammates in the first and got a matching roughing minor, but the London player just now in the second ran over his goalie, so he immediately skated over, gave the player (down) a good couple cross checks, then the player (Crete) got up and pushed back, and at that point Fischer grabbed him and pounded him into the ice. It was instantly mean retribution.