St. Louis Blues top prospects Justin Carbonneau and Adam Jiricek will return to their respective CHL teams, doing so with the confidence of performing well in training camp and the praise from coach Jim Montgomery.
Carbonneau skated in three pre-season games, notching a goal and an assist. His determination to win the puck back was evident in all three games, and the 18-year-old showed no fear, physically engaging himself. Carbonneau will return to Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL for what is likely his final season in juniors before competing for an NHL or AHL spot next year.
“I want him to gain that next-play speed,” said Montgomery. “When the puck transitions from offense to defense that he gets above it. Anyone that’s been a scorer, they hang and hope for a turnover, so they’re in a better offensive position. That’s kind of what we talked to him about. Watch McDavid, watch MacKinnon, watch Crosby, Aho… when he was on the ice with our players, he naturally was the last guy coming back into our end every time. That’s just next-play speed: ‘I’ve got to do this.'”
Jiricek impressed as well, and he, too, will return to the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs for what should be his final season in juniors. The 19-year-old carries an abundance of skill, mixed with excellent physical tools, but Jiricek’s biggest issue so far in his career has been his health.
The Czech defender played just 27 games last year after suffering a knee injury, but after adding muscle to his frame, he’s hoping to remain healthy and continue to improve on both sides of the puck. In his two pre-season appearances, Jiricek failed to record any points, but logged big minutes and looked comfortable in each.
“He’s elite with the puck. He’s just got to learn to move it and not take as many hits as he does,” said Montgomery. “He’s got the mentality, ‘I’m going to take a hit to make the play.’ But sometimes just let the puck do the work and jump by the forechecker. Both (Carbonneau and Jiricek) are elite and going to be NHL power-play players. We see all of that. But to get into the NHL as soon as we would like them to be, they’ve got to improve in those areas.”
Including their CHL campaigns, Jiricek and Cabronneau could feature on their countries’ World Junior Championship rosters. Jiricek is likely a lock, previously featuring on the roster twice, but Carbonneau will have to compete against several top Canadian forwards. A strong start to his QMJHL campaign could earn him a spot. His ability to play physically could be a trait the Canadian coaching staff are looking for.
Blues’ Adam Jiricek Continues To Add Weight; Excited To Compete In Training Camp
St. Louis Blues defensive prospect Adam Jiricek has continued to add muscle to his frame and hopes to utilize that weight to compete at training camp.
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