June 18, 2024 | 6:17pm ET
By Tab Bamford, TheFourthPeriod.com
BLACKHAWKS COULD BE A FIT FOR CHYCHRUN
Jakob Chychrun, defenceman
CHICAGO, IL — With the Stanley Cup Final nearing its end, the hockey world will soon turn its collective attention to the 2024 NHL Draft and, quickly, to the free agent market. But trades are going to impact both of those events as teams look to move up/out of the first round and others look to improve their rosters for the 2024-25 season.
But there are other teams who are still trying to navigate the NHL’s salary cap situation, even with the ceiling going up to $88 million for the coming year. One of those teams is the Ottawa Senators, who own the seventh-overall pick in the coming Draft but also have some tough financial decisions to make this summer.
Ottawa already has over $16 million committed to Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot for the long term on the left side of their blueline. For one more year, they have 26-year-old Jakob Chychrun under contract, who also happens to be left-handed. As has been previously reported here on TFP, the Sens are open to listening to offers on Chychrun this summer as he now enters the final year of his contract that carries a $4.6 million cap hit.
Chychrun is coming off a good season in which he tied his career-high with 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) and appeared in all 82 games. Ottawa would like to add depth on the right side of their blue line, even though Chychrun can play both sides.
As a reminder, Ottawa gave up a first-round pick in 2023 (Daniil But), a second-round pick in 2024 (No. 49 – originally from Washington) and a second-round pick in 2026 to acquire Chychrun from now-Utah at the deadline in 2023.
There will be a list of suitors for Chychrun this summer; TFP has linked Boston, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Washington and Calgary to the player. But one darkhorse to consider in the mix is the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chicago GM Kyle Davidson has openly said the Hawks are transitioning to the next step of their rebuild, now looking to make hockey moves to improve their NHL roster around Connor Bedard. Chicago has plenty of depth on the left side of their blueline; they’ve already extended Alex Vlasic after a strong first full NHL season. Chicago also has Kevin Korchinski, who was only 19 this past season, and prospects Ethan Del Mastro, Wyatt Kaiser and Nolan Allan coming on the left side.
The Blackhawks could see Chychrun as a good fit on the right side with Korchinski, which would allow them to move veteran Connor Murphy in a more limited role. Murphy has missed time because of injuries over the past few years but is an important leader in the room and has helped the young defensemen come into the league well.
It’s also noteworthy that Chychrun’s uncle is Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson, with whom he has a strong relationship. Richardson played over 1,400 regular season games in the NHL and the players in Chicago believe in what he’s preaching. Adding higher quality players to turn that belief into wins is the mantra for the coming summer, and Chychrun fits what they’re looking to accomplish.
Davidson has been meticulous in his salary cap management since becoming the permanent general manager. Right now, he only has two NHL roster players – Vlasic and Seth Jones – signed beyond the 2025-26 season. Why? Because that’s the summer in which Bedard will transition from his ELC to his second contract, one that figures to be an expensive one for Chicago.
The Blackhawks will also need to re-sign a number of other young players before then, including Frank Nazar, Landon Slaggert, Del Mastro and Kaiser. With the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft beginning a busy couple days in which Chicago owns six picks over the first three rounds (eight total), Davidson has built a collection of assets that might be weaponized to add veterans to begin taking steps up the standings.
Chychrun being able to play the right side could make him a fit in Chicago. It would also put him in a situation where he might be able to settle in long-term with a contract next summer to help the Blackhawks return to the postseason.