I’m excited,” Jiricek said. “I heard it’s a hockey state, so that’s the first thing I know. And the second is it’s frickin’ cold out here."

Wild head coach John Hynes said it is important to get David Jiricek acclimated before he plays. ST. PAUL - Despite a recent story by HockeyWilderness saying David Jiricek would make his Wild debut on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks, Wild head coach John Hynes said on Monday that Jiricek will need to practice more before he plays.

He’s not 30, he’s not a rental. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman that we can invest in. And we did. That’s how I look at it. It’s an investment,’ Guerin said.