The Wild’s David Jiricek finds a comfort level and a growing role after arriving via trade

NASHVILLE – Hotel living isn’t just for road trips.

That’s also where David Jiricek is set up in Minnesota — although he is more than a month and a half into his Wild tenure and it has been nearly two weeks since he was called up from the minors to make his team debut on a depleted blue line. Jiricek now has his belongings with him after retrieving them from Des Moines, where they were shipped (along with his car) from Columbus after he was traded to the Wild.

“Just part of the hockey life right now,” he said.

At the rink, Jiricek is also settling in: During a forgettable game for the Wild defensively Saturday night, Jiricek finally showcased the offensive side of his repertoire in a 6-2 loss at Nashville, one of his strengths that enticed the Wild to acquire him in the first place.

“I’m glad to be here,” he said, “and I’m just going to go day by day.”

Jiricek’s goal was one of the few highlights for the Wild, who will try to avoid a four-game losing streak when they play Monday at Colorado before returning home.

Instead of passing back to one of the team’s leading goal scorers in Matt Boldy, who handed off to Jiricek during their 2-on-1 chance in the first period, Jiricek took the shot himself, and why not with the release he displayed? His wrister sailed by Predators goalie Juuse Saros and pinged off the post and in for his first goal with the Wild and second in the NHL. His goal was also the 27th by a Wild defenseman this season, which is tied for the second most in the league.

“It was good that he was the shooter,” coach John Hynes said, “because he’s got a good shot.”

The Wild went on to squander that 1-0 lead, their porous play in front of their own net opening the door for Nashville’s rally, and Jiricek acknowledged the difficulty the Wild had containing the Predators.

While he has been productive in the American Hockey League, Jiricek wants to be a “200-foot player,” and that means being sharp in his own end.

Hynes has noticed Jiricek’s willingness to compete defensively, at the net-front and in the corners, and Jiricek — at 6-foot-4 and 204 pounds — has size and reach in his favor.

“You can see the style of player he is,” Hynes said.

His first goal came in his fifth game with the Wild. Jiricek initially debuted with Iowa before the Wild beckoned him Jan. 8 after injuries to Brock Faber and Jonas Brodin.

Faber returned against Nashville, but Jiricek stayed in the lineup (alongside Jon Merrill) while Travis Dermott was scratched.

The Wild traded for Jiricek on Nov. 30, sending the Blue Jackets fellow defensive prospect Daemon Hunt and four draft picks, including a 2025 first-rounder, a haul that points to Jiricek’s potential.

Drafted sixth overall by Columbus in 2022, Jiricek never panned out with the Blue Jackets amid regime changes, and the righthanded 21-year-old from the Czech Republic was in the AHL at the time of the trade despite playing more than half the previous season in the NHL.

But while the Wild are still without Brodin and captain Jared Spurgeon, whose absence because of a slew-foot by Nashville’s Zachary L’Heureux was addressed Saturday with an early fight between L’Heureux and Yakov Trenin, Jiricek has been giving the Wild coaching staff and management an in-person update on how he is adjusting to the organization.

“It gets way better every day,” he said.

2 p.m. Monday, Ball Arena

TV; radio: FanDuel Sports Network North; 100.3-FM

Avalanche update: The Avalanche rebounded from an uncharacteristic 4-3 meltdown to the Oilers two games ago to cream the Stars on Saturday afternoon. After Dallas opened the scoring, Colorado rattled off five straight goals to set up a 6-3 comeback. Eden Prairie’s Casey Mittelstadt had a breakout game with a goal and assist. Cale Makar also scored vs. Dallas, becoming the sixth-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 100 goals (362 games). Makar did not factor into the Avalanche’s 6-1 rout of the Wild on Jan. 9, but he has 21 points in 22 career games against them.

Injuries: Wild D Jonas Brodin (lower body), LW Marcus Johansson (concussion), LW Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) and D Jared Spurgeon (lower body) are out. Avalanche D Oliver Kylington (upper body), LW Gabriel Landeskog (knee), RW Valeri Nichushkin (lower body) and LW Miles Wood (upper body) are out.