Arizona Coyotes trade Jakob Chychrun to Ottawa Senators for draft picks
It was a matter of time before the trade speculation surrounding Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun ended.
The Coyotes traded Chychrun to the Ottawa Senators for a conditional first-round draft pick in 2023, a conditional second-round selection in 2024, and a second-round pick in 2026.
“Jakob was a first-class act. He had expressed his interest to move on to a club that was a contender. We were trying to do that in a trade. We had immense respect for the player’s wishes and at the same time, we had to make sure it was the best for the club,” Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said.
“In this particular case, when you have conversations with the player, you say, 'I understand your concerns, we’re doing the best that we can.' But Jakob was outstanding and we had good conversations the whole way through. He has a chance to go play in Ottawa and a chance to lead that team and help them get into the playoffs.”
The team has been looking for a landing spot and a deal for Chychrun since last season and the Senators’ offer was the right time.
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“It took us a while to get the ask right and get into the market and understand it,” Armstrong said. “With Jakob last year, he came back, he played, he got injured. This year, he got through that and came into the lineup. There’s a little bit of a process in the schedule.”
Chychrun previously confirmed at the team’s media day in September that he requested to be traded during the previous season.
The Coyotes approached Chychrun and asked if he wanted to remain as one of the core players the team would build around or if he wanted to explore other options. The defenseman chose the latter.
“I think it’s kind of a mutual decision for me to get moved on to a situation where there is a chance to win and a team that is fighting for the Stanley Cup and for them to get really good assets. I understand how we both work and it could be mutually beneficial," Chychrun said at the time.
The 24-year-old was drafted 16th overall by the Coyotes in 2016 and made his NHL debut that year. Over seven seasons, Chychrun had accumulated 373 games with the Coyotes. Chychrun had a breakout season in 2020-2021, leading all NHL defensemen in goals with 18 and finished 10th in Norris voting.
Chychrun dealt with several injuries last season and was shut down in mid-March, but he totaled seven goals and 14 assists in 47 games prior. His wrist injury from the conclusion of the 2021 season returned this summer and he got both his wrist and ankle operated on during the offseason.
Last season’s injuries were a concern for him coming into this season, but even after missing the first 15 games, he bounced back quickly. Chychrun tallied 28 points (7 goals, 21 assists) in 36 games and was second on the team in assists and second amongst defensemen in scoring. He was a healthy scratch in Saturday's game in St. Louis due to trade related reasons.
Chychrun is in the fourth year of his six-year contract worth $27.6 million that he signed in 2018.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Coyotes trade defenseman Jakob Chychrun to Ottawa for draft picks
