At the 2022 trade deadline, there were a lot of teams in on Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, but he remained with the team. On Feb. 11, just two hours prior to the Coyotes’ 6-5 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues, the team announced that Chychrun would be held out of the game for trade-related reasons. Those trade-related reasons came to fruition when Arizona, general manager (GM) Bill Armstrong finally decided to trade the left shot to the Ottawa Senators.
In return, the Coyotes received a conditional first-round draft pick in 2023, a conditional second-round pick in 2024, and a second-round pick in 2026.
What Senators Are Getting
Adding a legitimate top-four defenseman is a move that strengthens the defense for the rest of the season and helps them as they continue to make a push for one of the two Eastern Conference wild card spots. They are currently five points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins entering play on March 1. It also addresses the future as he has two years remaining on a six-year, $27.5 million contract that carries an annual average value (AAV) of $4.6 million.
In 36 games this season, the 24-year-old has seven goals and 21 assists, and a plus/minus of plus-8 on a Coyotes team that is going to miss the playoffs again, while also landing 111 shots on the net. The 16th overall pick of the 2016 Entry Draft was one of the top puck-moving defensemen that were on the trade market this season and provides an offensive game. He has been plagued by injuries in his seven years, which was a reason why some teams stayed away from acquiring him last season. Aside from his offensive upside, he is also a good presence in the defensive zone and can play in all situations.
Related: 2023 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
Chychrun had a career year in the 56-game shortened 2020-21 season because of the coronavirus. In 51 games, he scored a career-high 18 goals and added another career-high in assists with 23. For the rest of this season with Ottawa, he should have no problem reaching a new career-high in assists. The Coyotes made the Edmonton playoff bubble in the summer of 2020 and Chychrun played in nine games, scoring a goal as Arizona beat the Nashville Predators in four games in the Western Conference Qualifying Round, before falling in five games to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.
Coyotes Recieve More Draft Capital
Arizona gets three draft picks in return and it was the second trade that Armstrong pulled on Wednesday (March 1). Earlier, he sent defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2026 third-round pick. On Feb. 28, he was a third-party broker in the Patrick Kane trade that moved the veteran forward to the New York Rangers. On Feb. 22, the Coyotes acquired defenseman Shea Weber from the Vegas Golden Knights for Dysin Mayo.
Overall, the Senators are getting a top-four defenseman for the left side as they continue to add pieces after acquiring Alex DeBrincat from the Blackhawks. When healthy, Chychrun is a player who can excel in all situations for Ottawa.
