Blue Jackets Load D-Man David Jiricek, Forward Mikael Pyyhtia To Monsters
Nov 20, 2024The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters announced Wednesday that the Blue Jackets loaned defenseman David Jiricek and forward Mikael Pyythia to the Monsters. In six appearances for Columbus this season, Jiricek posted 0-1-1 with four penalty minutes while Pyyhtia supplied 1-0-1 with two penalty minutes in 17 appearances for the Blue Jackets this year.
A 6’4”, 206 lb. right-shooting native of Klatovy, Czechia, Jiricek, 20, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. In 53 career NHL appearances, all for Columbus, spanning parts of three seasons from 2022-25, Jiricek registered 1-10-11 with 28 penalty minutes. In 84 career AHL appearances for the Monsters spanning parts of two seasons from 2022-24, Jiricek posted 13-44-57 with 57 penalty minutes and was selected to participate in the 2022-23 AHL All-Star Classic, although he did not play in the event. Jiricek was also named the AHL’s Rookie of the Month for December 2022 and registered 3-8-11 with ten penalty minutes and a +3 rating in 14 Calder Cup Playoff appearances for Cleveland in 2024. In 67 appearances for HC Plzen of Czechia’s Extraliga spanning parts of three seasons from 2019-22, Jiricek contributed 8-12-20 with 85 penalty minutes and a +14 rating.
Internationally, Jiricek represented Czechia at the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, helping claim the Silver Medal at the 2022-23 event where he was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team and recognized as the event’s top defenseman. Jiricek also helped Czechia claim the Bronze Medal at the 2021-22 IIHF World Championship.
A 6’0”, 174 lb. left-shooting native of Turku, Finland, Pyyhtia, 22, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the fourth round (114th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 36 career NHL appearances for Columbus spanning parts of three seasons from 2022-25, Pyyhtia logged 1-3-4 with four penalty minutes and added 10-21-31 with six penalty minutes in 67 career AHL appearances, all for Cleveland, spanning parts of two seasons from 2022-24. Pyyhtia added 1-4-5 with a +1 rating in 13 Calder Cup Playoff appearances for the Monsters in 2024.
In 140 career appearances for TPS Turku in Finland’s Liiga, Pyyhtia registered 31-32-63 with 26 penalty minutes and a +1 rating spanning parts of four seasons from 2019-23. Pyyhtia helped TPS claim the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Liiga Silver Medals and helped Finland capture the Bronze Medal at the 2012 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship.
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