Jakob Chychrun was surprised but excited when he got the call that he’d been acquired by the Washington Capitals, and on Thursday, he donned the team colors for the first time.

The 26-year-old blueliner took the ice for an open skate in Sarnia as his former OHL team, the Sting, highlighted his session on social media.

A familiar face joined open skate on Tuesday afternoon! Check out Jakob’s new sweater 👀#Stingfootprint | #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ymvAlMm82Q

— Sarnia Sting (@StingHockey) July 18, 2024

Washington acquired Chychrun in exchange for Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick on the opening day of free agency in an effort to revamp the blue line. The Capitals also signed Matt Roy to a six-year contract to give the top 4 a whole new look.

Looking ahead to the season, Chychrun is eager to bring a lot to the table and help transform D.C. into a contending team that can make a legitimate playoff run.

“I think it’s a great fit for me personally,” Chychrun said of the trade to Washington. “I’m just so excited to be able to help contribute to this team and try to take this team into the playoffs (again)… everything just seemed like it happened the way it was supposed to and I’m just thrilled to be able to join the Capitals.”

Not only that, but Chychrun wants to bring offense to the blue line and make an impact on the scoresheet, too.

“That’s obviously a big part of my game. I grew up playing forward, so I always have had those offensive instincts and it’s something I enjoy very much. I’m excited to bring that to Washington,” Chychrun said, adding, “I’m excited to hopefully be able to add to that and I can’t wait to see what we can do and hopefully be able to contribute and personally and help this group in that aspect.”