Oilers’ Rumoured Connection to Jakob Chychrun Makes Sense

While the defensive issues that surrounded the Oilers at the beginning of the season have since been fixed, it wouldn’t hurt the team to bolster their top four heading into the postseason. Chychrun is a strong two-way player who can provide some stability and play big minutes should one of Mattias Ekholm or Darnell Nurse go down with an injury. While the Oilers’ cap issues and Chychrun’s contract might make a deal between the Oilers and Senators a bit more difficult, a trade is possible and the fit makes perfect sense.

Who is Chychrun & How Would He Help the Oilers?

Chychrun is a 25-year-old defenceman from Boca Raton, Florida currently playing with the Senators. He was drafted in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at 16th overall after a strong showing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Sarnia Sting. During his draft year, he scored 11 goals and added 38 assists for 49 points through 62 games and quickly built a reputation as a potential top-four defender at the NHL level. He earned a shot with the Coyotes right out of the gate, cracking the roster in his first season with the team.

During his rookie campaign in 2016-17, Chychrun made an impact at both ends of the ice right away. He scored seven goals and added 13 assists for 20 points through 68 games and quickly became a household name in Arizona. He played six and a half seasons with the Coyotes before being traded to the Senators, where he has been since the 2022-23 season. Throughout his entire career, he has scored 69 goals adding 133 assists for 202 points through 429 games.

This season, Chychrun has scored seven goals and added 20 assists for 27 points through 44 games. His play on the Senators’ second pairing has been fun to watch and he’s been a huge part of their team this season. While the Senators continue to struggle, it makes sense that his name has now come up in trade rumours. If the Oilers can acquire him, it would allow them to juggle their defensive lineup a little bit as Chychrun has experience playing on both the left and right side, on top of their depth being bolstered in a big way.

Is There Any Chance a Trade Happens?

It will be tough for any deal to happen between the two sides. Chychrun is in the second last season of his contract worth $4.6 million per season, which is a contract the Oilers can’t afford without moving assets out. Senators General Manager Steve Staios shut down any trade rumours as of right now stating he was surprised to hear his name out there, but should he ever become available, the Oilers should be all over him. A trade is possible but doesn’t seem likely any time soon.

The Oilers are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 27 in a matchup against the Nashville Predators. They will be looking to continue their climb up the Pacific Division standings and fight their way to the top. Whether Chychrun becomes available or not, they need to make the right moves if they hope to make a Stanley Cup run. Hopefully, they can find the right fits and have a powerhouse roster heading into the postseason so they can make a run for their first Stanley Cup since 1990.