Flyers sign defenseman David Jiříček to two-year contract extension
Jiříček, who has played at Lehigh Valley since being acquired from the Minnesota Wild, was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
When the Flyers swapped Bobby Brink for David Jiříček at the NHL trade deadline on March 6, Danny Brière made it clear that it was a move made “to try to solidify our future.”
That future will include at least the next two seasons. On Wednesday the Flyers signed the 22-year-old defenseman to a two-year, $3 million contract extension — $1.5 million average annual value — that will keep him in Philly through the 2027-28 season. Jiříček, who has played at Lehigh Valley since being acquired from the Minnesota Wild, was set to become a restricted free agent.
» READ MORE: Two harsh lessons the Flyers need to learn, and quickly, from Tuesday’s loss to the Capitals
The contract is a low-cost bet on a big-time talent in Jiříček, who was drafted sixth overall in 2022. Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets one pick after the Flyers chose Cutter Gauthier, the 6-foot-4, 204-pound defenseman is a player the Flyers have long held in high regard, with Brière revealing that they had serious discussions about him during the 2022 draft and when he was traded from Columbus to Minnesota in 2024.
Heralded for his booming slap shot, long reach, and puck-moving ability, Jiříček has yet to transfer those skills into production or consistent playing time at the NHL level. In 84 career games split between the Blue Jackets and Wild, the defenseman has just two goals and 13 points.
But the Flyers have made it clear that they believe in Jiříček’s potential and that he is a prime candidate to bounce back once he homes in on a few problem areas and rebuilds his confidence. There have been early signs of that in the American Hockey League, as Jiříček has showcased his expansive tool kit with two goals and 10 points in 10 games since joining the Phantoms.