Back where it started
The journey for West Kelowna forward Jack Pridham will come full circle if he hears his name called on the second day of the 2024 NHL Draft.
“It was a unique situation for me as a kid to experience the draft,” the 18-year-old said. “Probably the biggest memory was as a runner for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2015 draft in Florida. (Forward) Mitch Marner was the No. 4 pick by the Maple Leafs and I was the little guy up on stage. Then, in the 2018 draft in Dallas, I was the runner when (defenseman) Rasmus Sandin got drafted (No. 29) to Toronto. I think moments like that I’ve carried with me all this time and it’s cool to see it come full circle now.”
Pridham, the son of Maple Leafs assistant general manager Brandon Pridham, had 49 points (23 goals, 26 assists) in 54 games in his first season in the British Columbia Hockey League. He also had 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in 10 BCHL playoff games and was named to the BCHL All-Rookie Team.
He will play one more season with West Kelowna before continuing his career at Boston University in Hockey East in 2025-26.
“I think another year of development (with West Kelowna) will be good,” he said. “I have to continue to get stronger. Another year of juniors is only going to help get me ready for the next level.”
Pridham is No. 65 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters.
“I think the BCHL was a good choice for Jack coming out of St Andrew’s College (Ontario) where he was a pretty dominant skill player,” Central Scouting’s John Williams said. “I thought the West Kelowna coach did a good job holding him accountable while giving him plenty of ice time and offensive opportunities.”
Jiricek injury update
Adam Jiricek (6-2, 182), No. 4 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of International skaters, expects to be ready for the start of the 2024-25 season after his season was cut short after 19 games with Plzen in the top professional men’s league in the Czech Republic when he sustained a season-ending right knee injury playing for Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship on Dec. 26.
The 17-year-old right-shot defenseman interviewed with 28 teams at the combine. He will not take part in any of the fitness testing.
“It’s been four months after surgery and it’s getting better day by day,” Jiricek said. “I hope to come back stronger and right now I’m working out off-ice. I don’t want to rush anything because I have a lot of time until next season and I want to be prepared and be 100 percent. I have a strict offseason plan in place.
“I think I’ll be ready for on-ice work sometime in the summer.
Jiricek, the brother of Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek, will turn 18 on June 28, the first day of the NHL Draft. He said he isn’t sure where he will play next season.
“I don’t know yet; I’m open to any situation and options will come after (the) draft,” he said. “I’ll probably know it after the draft.”
