Should the Oilers try to trade for Jakob Chychrun?
The NHL trade deadline is less than two months away and we are already hearing about players who could be available that the Edmonton Oilers might be interested in.
The Oilers have pulled themselves back into a playoff spot over the last two months and are primed to be buyers at the deadline once again. Last season Edmonton GM Ken Holland was able to pull off a fantastic trade for defenceman Mattias Ekholm and he may be looking for yet another defenceman this season.
During the 2023 trade deadline period, reports came out that Holland was deep in discussions about acquiring defenceman Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes before eventually pivoting to Ekholm. Chychrun was then traded to the Ottawa Senators who may be looking to trade the 25-year-old less than a year after acquiring him.
David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period has reported that Senators GM Steve Staios is listening to offers for Chychrun.
Today's piece touches on the latest trade chatter surrounding:
– #GoSensGo & Jakob Chychrun
– #Flames & Weegar, Markstrom, 3 UFAs
– Mrazek & #Blackhawks retaining
– Do #GoKingsGo shift due to skid?
– Zegras & #FlyTogether
– EJ & Olofsson #LetsGoBuffalo https://t.co/y6pfdhALV8— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) January 15, 2024
So, with the Oilers’ previous interest still fresh in the minds of many, could Holland take another swing at bringing Chychrun to the Alberta capital? He should at least see what the price would be.
The Oilers have three areas on their roster that could be improved through a trade. Of course, a backup goaltender to help Stuart Skinner will be among the top priorities that Holland will look into, and there are rumours that the team could target a top-six winger to play alongside Leon Draisaitl.
However, Edmonton could also look to upgrade at right defence, specifically next to Darnell Nurse where Cody Ceci has not been playing up to the standards of a Stanley Cup contender. Chychrun should be able to plug right into that spot if the Oilers decide to trade for him.
Staios has previously mentioned that the Senators are looking to acquire veteran players with high character and, while he might not be playing well enough for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, this would accurately describe Ceci, who could provide some value on the ice for a team like the Senators.
Including Ceci in a trade for Chychrun should make the salary work for the Oilers, but there is no doubt the Sens would want more in return. Considering Staois’ history working with the Oilers over the last few years, maybe he sees more value in a player like Philip Broberg than others around the league.
The 23-year-old Broberg would represent a player more in line with Ottawa’s timeline as he could realistically jump into an NHL lineup this season.
Ceci and Broberg might be a good starting point for a trade for Chychrun but there would have to be more pieces to make Edmonton’s offer competitive. A 2024 first-rounder will probably need to be added to pique Ottawa’s interest.
These are three pieces that would probably need to be included in a trade for Chychrun, but it still might not be enough. If the Senators do decide to deal the former 2016 first-round draft pick there will be plenty of contending teams interested.
Perhaps Holland can work something out with his former protege.