Scouting expert Tony Ferrari has analyzed the games of three promising players who are set to represent their home nations at the 2024 World Junior Championship. These players are Czech defenseman Adam Jiricek, Finnish forward Konsta Helenius, and Swiss defender Daniil Ustinkov. All three are currently playing professional hockey in European men’s leagues.
Ferrari begins with Jiricek, who is the younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets prospect David Jiricek and one of the top defenders available in the 2024 draft. In a recent game, Jiricek demonstrated physicality by closing out on opponents along the boards and eliminating them from the play. He also used his stick to guide players to the outside and force them to offload the puck. While Jiricek lacks strength, he compensates with effort and a strong motor that helps him win the puck at a respectable rate for a 17-year-old in a men’s league.
Jiricek’s passing was also impressive, with his breakout passes hitting teammates in stride. However, he lacked the skill or dynamism to find a way out of trouble when opponents closed in on him. In the offensive zone, Jiricek kept his game simple and shot when the lane presented itself, but he wasn’t looking to create anything or move into the middle of the ice. While Jiricek has the tools and skills to excel, he needs to open up his game and showcase his abilities more fully at the World Junior Championship.
Moving on to Helenius, Ferrari notes that the best forwards to come out of the Liiga in recent years have largely been two-way players. Helenius fits that bill and demonstrated his defensive tracking in transition by identifying his man and staying in stride with them, tying up their stick if and when the puck came to them.
He also defaulted to the front of the net when defenders went into the corners, ensuring he was there to thwart center lane passes. Along the boards, Helenius understood how to leverage body position and tie up sticks, despite not being the biggest or strongest player. In transition, Helenius used his quick feet to weave through the neutral zone and fed his teammates along the wall before getting a return pass off the defensive player’s heels.
