The Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes are inching closer to a resolution.
Still on the shelf with a wrist injury, the Arizona Coyotes defenceman has had the rumour mill buzzing since before last season’s trade deadline. The reason for the intrigue is clear enough — standing six-foot-two and tipping the scales at 220 pounds, the 24-year-old is only a season removed from a breakout campaign that saw him lead all blue-liners with 18 goals, totalling 41 points through 56 games.
Better still, his rare blend of physicality and offensive prowess is under contract for two more years after this one at just $4.6 million per season, a steal of a cap hit.
But a deal to move Chychrun has yet to come to fruition. And according to Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek, the Coyotes’ asking price has been the central obstacle to this point.
“Look, the Arizona Coyotes want to trade Jacob Chychrun. Jacob Chychrun has also asked for a trade. The price for the defenceman remains high,” Marek said Saturday during Hockey Night in Canada’s 32 Thoughts segment. “It’s essentially the equivalent of two first-round draft picks, plus. So, that would be a combination of prospects, picks and players as well.”
Chychrun is currently with the Coyotes but is still a couple weeks away from making his 2022-23 debut as he recovers from off-season wrist surgery. His club’s opponent Saturday, the Ottawa Senators, have been mentioned among teams said to be in the mix to acquire the young defender.
Again, however, Arizona’s hefty asking price has stalled talks on a potential trade.
“It doesn’t sound like the Ottawa Senators — although there has been some talk between the two — they don’t want to let go of Shane Pinto or Ridly Greig or Jake Sanderson or anyone like that,” Marek said Saturday. “That doesn’t seem to be a path they’re on.”
Drafted 16th overall by the Coyotes in 2016, Chychrun has logged six seasons for the club, that breakout 2020-21 campaign far and away his best at the NHL level. He put up seven goals and 21 points through 47 games last season, and has 142 career points through 337 total NHL games up to this point.
Marek suggested the Los Angeles Kings as a potential landing spot for the former Sarnia Sting defenceman.
