According to Jeff Marek, the New York Rangers have offered the Arizona Coyotes a package for star defenseman Jakob Chychrun. He did not specify the entirety of the offer but noted that it centered around New York’s top prospect, Vitaly Kravtsov.
HNIC 32 Thoughts — Canadian Olympic Team/Oilers/Vejmelka/Kane & WASH/Chychrun/Kadri new agent/NYR & DeBrusk (helps to include video): https://t.co/nGDVfjqJkc
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 23, 2022
The Coyotes want a big return for Chychrun. They are looking for a young player, first-round pick, and top-of-the-line prospect. Although this would be a lot for a team to give up, it’s entirely understandable that the Coyotes are asking for it. When playing at his best, Chychrun is a legitimate top-pairing defenseman. He showed this perfectly last season, as he scored 18 goals and recorded 41 points in 56 games. Although he has struggled this season, it feels inevitable that a bounce-back should occur.
At this time, the Rangers have a 27-11-4 record and look like a legitimate threat for the Stanley Cup. If they were to add a defenseman of Chychrun’s ability, it should only heighten their chances in that regard. Furthermore, his contract is outstanding, as he only carries a $4.6 million cap hit and it lasts until the completion of the 2024-25 season. Therefore, he’d be affordable for the Rangers, too.
New York does have a plethora of prospects at their disposal, so they do seem capable of making a huge splash. They aren’t the only team in on Chychrun, however, so the sweepstakes are far from over.
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