Up to date Touchdown Spots for Jakob Chychrun Amid NHL Commerce Rumors

Jakob Chychrun’s profession with the Arizona Coyotes is unofficially over. The soon-to-be traded 24-year-old defenseman’s identify has been on the lips of rumor meisters many of the season, and now the group goes to carry him out of the lineup until he is traded.

It is a distinctive state of affairs in that the Coyotes made it clear why they’re sitting him out: as a result of they do not need him to get injured forward of an eventual/imminent commerce being made. The attract of Chychrun comes from his younger age and his palatable contract, which has two years remaining on it, making him one of many jewels of the upcoming commerce deadline.

With Chychrun being held out, nevertheless, it is ramped up the rumor mill, and the places he might wind up are narrowing down shortly. Which means we have got to slender our focus as to the place he is likely to be headed as nicely, and with everybody studying tea leaves, it makes issues slightly extra frantic.

What’s clear is the Coyotes desire a premium return for Chychrun, one thing alongside the strains of three first-round-caliber picks and young player(s). Wage-cap concerns are usually a difficulty in trades, however the Coyotes can accommodate wage coming again to assist out an buying group, however that too will come at a value.

It is a tough deal to tug the set off on, and it is one the Coyotes are desirous to not get snowed. In any case, buying and selling a defenseman getting into the prime of his profession would not occur usually (Chris Pronger and Erik Karlsson come to thoughts instantly), however when it is about to occur, it is a large purpose to remain on excessive alert for the following blockbuster. However the place is he going? Let us take a look at the 5 foremost suspects proper now earlier than the Coyotes determine to make it occur.

Because the saying goes, “the place there’s smoke, there’s hearth,” and hypothesis over the weekend of Jakob Chychrun going to L.A. made the smoke detectors brief out.

The Kings have been a front-runner for Chychrun virtually from the start. They’ve a large stockpile of prospects, they’ve first-round picks available, and so they have high quality gamers they might ship to Arizona to assist make the cash stability out. And now that they don’t seem to be in the identical division anymore, a giant commerce between these two groups feels extra seemingly.

Hypothesis on the important thing return has centered round Kings protection prospect Brandt Clarke and ahead Quinton Byfield, though it seems the Kings are not overly willing to part with both participant. It is essential for the Coyotes to get gamers of that caliber in return for Chychrun as a result of they’re missing in general prospect depth, and deepening that pool helps enhance their outlook for the long run.

The Kings do produce other prospects aside from Clarke and Byfield, although. Alex Turcotte, Arthur Kaliyev, Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Tobias Björnfot and Jordan Spence are as nicely, and a few had been first-round picks, which inserts the Coyotes’ obvious standards for a deal. The query is how prepared is Arizona to return off asking for Clarke or Byfield.

Trades are equal elements negotiation and a sport of rooster, and the Kings might need sufficient prospect ammunition for the Coyotes to blink first, however competitors from different groups for Chychrun is probably going their greatest competitors.

We have been saying all season lengthy that the NHL-leading Boston Bruins may stand to be rather a lot higher, have not we?

Wait, no, we’ve got not been saying that in any way, however the Bruins are reportedly one of many groups with excessive curiosity within the large defenseman. Does Boston want him? No, the Bruins have one of many league’s elite defensemen in Charlie McAvoy, a resurgent Hampus Lindholm and puck mover Matt Grzelcyk already on the left facet (Chychrun’s most well-liked facet on the blue line).

It would not be a difficulty to swap out Grzelcyk for Chychrun, however discovering methods to get him on the ability play could possibly be with McAvoy and Lindholm already quarterbacking every unit. However that is getting forward of issues. Have they got the ammo to even tantalize the Coyotes? Maybe.

The Bruins have first-round decide prospects John Beecher and Fabian Lysell within the AHL and so they have their first-round picks for the following three drafts. They’ve gamers on the present roster that might assist soften the blow to the Coyotes’ present roster as nicely to make a deal work and, extra importantly, they’ve salary-cap flexibility past this 12 months to not solely cling onto Chychrun but additionally lengthen him when his contract expires after the 2024-2025 season.

It isn’t an unreasonable chance for the Bruins to go all-out to present themselves the very best shot of profitable the Stanley Cup this season, though it feels unlikely they’d go that exhausting on a deal like this. They cannot be dominated out, nevertheless, as a result of they can take a giant swing in the event that they wish to.

Though it appears the Edmonton Oilers’ consideration could also be on Erik Karlsson, they might go for Chychrun as nicely.

There are strong causes why it would and why it wouldn’t work out, however let’s take a look at this from the extra easy standpoint.

The Oilers have some prospects on protection, however in addition they have stress to get Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to the Stanley Cup Last prior to not. Sacrificing prospects and picks to land Chychrun ought to be interesting as a result of for every thing they’re hoping Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg can turn into, Chychrun is already there and maybe past what they might turn into.

The Oilers are tight to the wage cap now and beyond this season, and whereas Chychrun’s $4.6 million cap hit for 2 extra seasons past this one is a very good value for the sort of participant he’s, any sort of assist Edmonton may get to land him would go over very nicely. Happily for the Oilers, it appears Arizona might be amenable to do this, albeit at a worth.

The place buying and selling prospects will get a bit furry for the Oilers is that their pipeline is a bit skinny and the group basically lacks depth. Do you want extra depth if you’ve received McDavid, Draisaitl, Evander Kane and Chychrun, amongst others? It is a good query to ask, and it applies to their pursuit of Karlsson too. The Oilers are in a win-as-soon-as-possible mode, so holding tight to prospects and first-round picks might not imply as a lot. All we do know is GM Ken Holland generally is a little bit of a wild card, so something goes.

Talking of groups in a win-as-soon-as-possible mode from Canada, there are the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Everyone knows the Leafs will do one thing on the commerce deadline and it could appear the one place they will not contact is goaltending, which means addressing additions up entrance or on the blue line are almost definitely. Nick Kypreos said this past Friday Chychrun is a man they’re taking a look at carefully, however let’s play a sport of “What If?” with the Leafs lineup, if you’ll.

What if Leafs GM Kyle Dubas determined the factor the Leafs will want most to get previous the Tampa Bay Lightning within the first spherical of the Stanley Cup playoffs is a defenseman to tag together with Morgan Rielly? The Leafs have Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Rasmus Sandin and Matt Giordano that roam the left facet of the ice, and Sandin is the youngest of the bunch at 22 years outdated.

The Leafs aren’t desirous to ship out prospects, like Matthew Knies, and tossing apart first-round picks would not excite them both, however the concept of profitable their first Stanley Cup since 1967 is thrilling and their foremost aim whereas they’ve Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander of their prime years.

It is a tenuous line to toe for Dubas as a result of the stress to win is gigantic and they will want something to get an edge on the Lightning and to present them the very best shot at beating Boston ought to they get to the second spherical. Chychrun could be an immense assistance on the again finish for Toronto and permit the stress on Rielly to be lessened a bit. To not point out how a lot he’d assist lining up in opposition to the likes of Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. It is sensible for the Leafs to need him, however their focus could also be elsewhere.

Buffalo is within the hunt for the playoffs for the primary time in over a decade. The Sabres are teeming over with younger gamers and prospects on the best way and so they’ve received all their first-round picks for years to return. Which means they match the Coyotes’ {qualifications} to land Chychrun. Are they a contender for him, although? Not precisely.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams just lately stated he desires to be concerned in all conversations on gamers who can be found in hopes to seek out ways in which he can enhance the group now and down the highway as nicely. Adams even stated that including to protection is one thing he and the workers have mentioned for the deadline as nicely. It is a rumormonger’s dream state of affairs, however making sense of it takes some effort.

The Sabres have already got Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Energy and Mattias Samuelsson as left-handed photographs on protection, and whereas Dahlin and Samuelsson are in the identical pairing, including Chychrun would pose some points, albeit good ones to have.

For one, it could be unlikely he would supplant Dahlin or Energy on one of many group’s power-play models. Second, do you set Chychrun on a pair with Energy (or Dahlin) or have him personal the third pairing the place he would not see as a lot ice time? The entire level of including Chychrun could be to have him on the ice rather a lot and to have him dominate in areas the place he is greatest.

On the flip facet, if the Sabres wish to go full fantasy hockey roster, they might meet Arizona’s asking worth with ease, and if Chychrun did not wish to register Buffalo long-term, the Sabres may transfer him once more and recoup what they traded to Arizona. It is a Radiohead situation for hopeful Sabres followers in that they most likely should not get any large concepts as a result of they don’t seem to be going to occur.