The Winnipeg Jets just took a real gamble with Brad Lambert, and it paid off in the short term. They put the 22-year-old forward on waivers and sent him to the Manitoba Moose in the AHL, even though that meant risking a claim from another team.
It was the kind of move that makes you hold your breath. Lambert, a 2022 first-round pick, is still young and still has room to grow, but the Jets have not seen enough from him in the NHL to keep carving out a spot for him.
When he gets chances, he hasn’t done enough to force their hand. Still, all 31 NHL teams passed, and he cleared waivers.
That leaves the Jets with what they wanted most: more development time in the AHL.
The question for the Flyers is whether they should be willing to take the same kind of swing with David Jiricek.
Jiricek is expected to be a healthy scratch for the seventh straight game, and his situation has become hard to ignore. Philadelphia got the 22-year-old defenseman last season at the trade deadline, sending Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild in a one-for-one swap. Since then, Jiricek has become the third NHL team he’s played for in seven seasons.
Originally the sixth overall pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022, Jiricek was traded to Minnesota for a better opportunity before being blocked by Quinn Hughes. In Philadelphia, the path has been blocked again.
He made the Flyers out of training camp, but he has not played since October 19 against the Colorado Avalanche. So far this season, he has appeared in nine of Philadelphia’s 17 games and has one assist.
The problem is that the Flyers are not getting enough from him in the areas where he’s already supposed to be behind. His defense has not been at an NHL level, even for a player whose offense is meant to carry the load.
His skating has also been an issue. And the offensive upside that should make him worth the wait has not shown up in the NHL yet.
From that angle, the simplest answer would be to send him to Lehigh Valley and let him keep developing. But that comes with the same kind of danger Winnipeg faced with Lambert: Jiricek would have to clear waivers first.
That’s where the risk gets real. Players like Lambert and Jiricek still have traits other teams want.
Lambert has speed and stickhandling. Jiricek is 6’4″, owns a booming shot, and can run point on the power play.
Those are the kinds of tools that can tempt another club.
Still, if Jiricek is not playing because of his skating, his defensive issues, or even his lack of production, then sitting in the press box is not helping anybody. If he’s not on the ice, he’s not getting better.
In Other News...
Flyers Just Made A Lineup Gamble That Could Change Their Offense
The Flyers rolled out a different look for their matchup with the Rangers, and the most notable tweak came up front. Cole Knuble is sliding into the second-line center role after spending most of his time on the wing, a move that gives the coaching staff a new way to organize the middle of the ice and could alter how the team attacks in the offensive zone.
Matvei Michkov is part of the shuffle too, dropping to the third line alongside Tyson Foerster and Noah Cates as Philadelphia tries to find the right mix. The defensive pairs stayed the same, and David Jiricek remained a healthy scratch, but the forward changes make this one worth watching to see whether the new alignment sparks more balance or simply adds another layer of uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Jett Luchanko Just Became The Flyers Prospect Fans Need To Watch
The Flyers push to sort out their 2023 draft class has already produced a few different paths, with some young players getting real NHL looks and others heading back to the AHL for more seasoning. Alex Bump was reassigned after having trouble finding the net at the NHL level, while Hunter McDonalds physical edge earned him a look before he, too, was sent back down. Through it all, Jett Luchanko has remained one of the more intriguing names in the group, showing enough promise to keep himself in the conversation even as the organization keeps managing his development carefully.
Luchankos latest setback adds another layer to that evaluation, because the Flyers now have to balance his upside against the reality of his current availability. For a prospect who already drew attention this season, the timing matters, especially with Philadelphia trying to figure out which young players are ready to stick and which still need more time in the minors. The next step for Luchanko is less about the spotlight and more about getting healthy enough to keep building on the progress that made him worth watching in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Denver Barkey Has A Deep Personal Reason To Remember MSG
Madison Square Garden already carries plenty of weight for any young player making his first NHL appearance, but Denver Barkeys debut there came with a family connection that made the night feel even bigger. The Flyers prospect stepped onto the same ice where his late grandfather, Randy Legge, once played for the Rangers in the 1972-73 season, giving the moment a personal resonance that went well beyond the usual nerves and anticipation.
Legge died in December 2023, and he had been a devoted follower of Barkeys hockey journey, which only sharpened the significance of the setting for the Flyers. Coach Rick Tocchet has already spoken highly of Barkeys intelligence and the way he plays, and now the young forward has a debut story tied not just to his career, but to a family history that will be hard to top. [Read more 🡒]