CHYCHRUN TRADE TALKS GAINING MOMENTUM

TORONTO, ON — The Arizona Coyotes pulled the trigger on the first of what is expected to be many moves coming out of the desert in the weeks leading up to the NHL trade deadline.

After moving Ryan Dzingel and Ilya Lyubushkin to Toronto for Nick Ritchie and a draft pick on Saturday, Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong is working other avenues involving a number of his players.

While Travis Boyd, Phil Kessel, Christian Fischer and Anton Stralman are among those Coyotes players out there in the market, none will result in a bigger return than defenceman Jakob Chychrun. And things on that front are percolating.

According to multiple sources, trade talks involving Chychrun have picked up steam.

As I reported on NHL Network at the start of the 2021-22 campaign, teams inquired about Chychrun’s availability during the off-season and were no longer being told he was untouchable. Chatter ramped up as the season progressed and there is still the expectation a move is made this season.

Several teams remain in the hunt for the 23-year-old rising star, including the Los Angeles Kings. Separate sources have told me the Kings have Chychrun extremely high on their wish list, with one describing a potential move with L.A. as “a strong possibility.”

Talks are ongoing, and the Coyotes have interest in multiple players in the Kings’ prospect pool, including 2017 11th overall pick Gabe Vilardi, who is playing currently at a point-per-game pace in the AHL.

With four weeks and one day until the March 21 trade deadline, there is still plenty of time to put the finishing touches on a deal if the Coyotes can agree to a move this season. The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers are among the teams also interested in Chychrun.

It is tough to gauge how close a move is, despite talks gaining speed. On Saturday, the Coyotes scratched Lyubushkin ahead of his trade to Toronto. If we start to see Chychrun sit — and he played last night against the Kings — that’s a strong indication a deal is near. The Coyotes play Sunday against Dallas.

Chychrun is in the third year of a six-year, $27.6 million contract. He has two goals, nine assists and 40 penalty minutes in 38 games with the Coyotes so far this season.

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Marc-Andre Fleury is trying to avoid the chatter, but he knows there is a possibility he’s moved this season — with his blessing, of course.

“It’s part of the game, I feel every deadline season, you always hear a lot,” Fleury said this week in reference to trade speculation.

A few teams have expressed interest in Fleury, who is in the final year of his contract and will become a UFA this July. The 37-year-old said he “would love a chance to win” again and that certainly won’t happen in Chicago this season, leading many to believe he’s waiting for the opportunity.

There was a sense the Hawks had given Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh the green light to speak with other teams to help out a move, but I’m told that has not occurred at this time.

The Blackhawks will have to retain about half of his $7 million cap hit, and depending on which team steps up to acquire him, a third club might be needed to take on some salary, as well.

It seems like if/when a trade is made, it’ll happen closer to the deadline. But we shall see.