Senators trade for Chychrun, set sights on postseason

Tuesday featured a flurry of trades in the NHL, and on Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators got in on the action.

In a deal with the Arizona Coyotes, the Sens acquired a player whose name has been in trade discussions since last season: Jakob Chychrun. The 24-year-old has missed the last handful of games while awaiting a trade and also missed time early in the year to recover from an injury.

He has been fantastic when on the ice, though, notching seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 36 games this season. He carries a plus-eight rating, has been a contributor on the power play, and logs 23:16 of ice team per game, which led all Coyotes skaters by nearly three minutes.

Chychrun set a career-high in points in the 2020-2021 season, scoring 41 points (18 goals and 23 assists) in 56 games. He’s got 170 points in 373 NHL games.

The Senators are ready to battle for a playoff spot with Chychrun.

The 2016 first-round pick joins the Senators at a time when their playoff chances look as good as they have all season. Ottawa is on a three-game winning streak that has helped it climb to 30-26-4 on the season, only three points out of a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa is a legitimate playoff contender in the East, so this acquisition is a huge win. The short-term implications are obvious, as Chychrun was one of the premier trade deadline targets in the NHL. His presence makes the Senators much more dangerous in 2023.

However, he is under contract for two seasons after this one, which makes him much more than a rental for the Sens. His contract does not put Ottawa in a cap crunch, so this move is one that the franchise can build around as it continues to ascend.

Having Jakob Chychrun on the roster for this season is good, but having him for the next few seasons is great. The Senators are building something special, and their newest acquisition will be around to be a part of it.