New Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun is going to see how things play out during the 2024-25 NHL season. The 26-year-old is about to play for his third team since being drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. His contract is also up during the summer of 2025. This upcoming campaign is crucial not just for the Capitals to make an impression on him, but for Chychrun as well. Whether he stays or leaves, he needs to prove that the next deal he gets will be long-term. Whether Chychrun is a one-year rental or a potential long-term addition for Washington’s blue line, this next season is huge for both sides of this pairing.
Solid Talent on the Coyotes
Jakob Chychrun stepped into the Arizona Coyotes lineup immediately for the 2016-17 season. He had some nice veteran leadership when he joined the team in longtime forward Shane Doan, defender Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Radim Vrbata. He played in 68 games for the team and scored seven goals and tallied 13 assists for 20 points. It did not take long for Chychrun to become a key part of the Coyotes roster. He played his role of offensive defender very well, and produced the following stats while he was in Arizona:
- 2016-17: seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 68 games
- 2017-18: four goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 50 games
- 2018-19: five goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 53 games
- 2019-20: 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 63 games
- 2020-21: 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points in 56 games
- 2021-22: seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points in 47 games
- 2022-23: seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 36 games
The Coyotes have always been good at finding quality defenders who can produce. They had Keith Yandle, Ekman-Larsson, and then Chychrun after that. However, during the 2022-23 campaign, his time in Arizona came to an end. He was dealt to the Ottawa Senators. The full trade was Ottawa acquiring Chychrun for a conditional 2023 first-round pick, a conditional 2024 second-round pick, and a 2026 second-round pick.
Jakob Chychrun’s Short Time in Ottawa
Jakob Chychrun played in 12 games for the Ottawa Senators for the rest of the 2022-23 season. He had two goals and three assists for five points. He was a solid addition to a locker room that already had Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Travis Hamonic, Erik Brannstrom, and Nick Holden. The Senators brought Chychrun in as a piece to try and help them make the playoffs. They had great talent, especially in younger players like Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle. They pushed to try and get the right results for a postseason berth in 2023-24. That did not come.
The Senators finished the 2023-24 campaign with a 37-41-4 record for a total of 78 points. They ranked seventh in the Atlantic Division, with only the Montreal Canadiens below them. Despite what was a tough season for the franchise, Chychrun individually had a great season. He scored 14 goals and provided 27 assists for 41 points in 82 games. That was good enough for him to finish sixth on the roster in scoring. The players who notched more points than him were Tkachuk, Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, and Vladimir Tarasenko (before he was dealt to the Florida Panthers).
Jakob Chychrun Should Fit on Capitals’ Blue Line
Following the 2023-24 season, the Senators traded Chychrun to Washington for defender Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick. It was one of a few trades this offseason made by former Capitals GM Brian MacLellan. He also dealt for goalie Logan Thompson from the Vegas Golden Knights, forward Andrew Mangiapane from the Calgary Flames, and forward Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Los Angeles Kings. MacLellan also addressed the defense by signing former Kings blueliner Matt Roy to a six-year contract in free agency.
Chychrun was a great get by the Capitals. He can potentially fit in on a backend that also includes John Carlson, Rasmus Sandin, Matt Roy, and Martin Fehervary among others. Washington tried to improve upon their offensive production this offseason. Chychrun fits that need to an extent as well. The Capitals finished 2023-24 with the worst goal total in the Eastern Conference with 220 goals. MacLellan brought Dubois and Mangiapane in to try and improve the scoring from the forward ranks, while Chychrun was acquired to produce from the backend.
Looking at Washington’s defensive scoring from 2023-24, Carlson had the best offensive production with 10 goals and 42 assists for 52 points. The next best scoring defender was Sandin, who had three goals and 20 assists in 68 games. Fehervary, Jensen, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Joel Edmundson all combined for five goals last season. The team could have used more goals from the defense, and Chychrun netting 14 goals last season would have been a big help in that regard.
Chychrun’s Big Season Ahead
With one season remaining on his current contract, the 2024-25 campaign will be important for both Jakob Chychrun and the Capitals. Both sides will have to determine whether they want this pairing to go for the long-term, play out the season and see what happens, or trade him before the deadline. It will come down to how Chychrun likes playing in D.C., whether new GM Chris Patrick wants to keep him and what the contract will look like, and how well the team is doing. Washington made the 2024 playoffs, but they had a rough series with the New York Rangers. They need to bounce back, and significant contributions by new players like Chychrun will potentially help. If the Capitals do not have the best season up to the deadline, players with free agency on the horizon like Chychrun and Mangiapane may get moved to contending clubs.
More scoring from the defense should happen with Chychrun in the mix. Not only will he get his fair share of goals, but he can also impact his defensive partner’s production too. Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery can see who gels well with him in training camp and the preseason. I think the Capitals will get a similar point total out of him though. Expecting around 14 goals and 30 assists for 44 points should not be unrealistic. It would be a career high for him in points, but with the rest of the talent around him, it is definitely a possible outcome for the defenseman.
