3 reasons Jakob Chychrun would make a lot of sense for the Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings need defense, and an intra-divisional rival may be willing to send over Jakob Chychrun.
The Detroit Red Wings are always looking to improve their team at the trade deadline under general manager Steve Yzerman. Given the contention Detroit finds itself in as we steamroll toward the deadline, it’s safe to say he will add another big name to his lineup, and head coach Derek Lalonde would be fine with that.
Looking at the Red Wings, it’s clear they need help in the defensive zone, so logistically, a blueliner of Chychrun’s caliber is likely what Yzerman is looking for. No, he won’t come at a cheap cost, and yes, there is also the fact Chychrun is currently playing for the rival Ottawa Senators.
But that didn’t stop Ottawa from trading Alex DeBrincat to Detroit over the summer, and since the Senators are once again struggling, it shouldn’t surprise any of us if Yzerman picked up the phone and inquired about Chychrun. But why would the trade itself make so much sense either near or at the 2024 deadline?
Jakob Chychrun would be more than a rental piece in Detroit
While Yzerman must work out some logistics in terms of assets and cap space to land Chychrun, doing so would be well worth it. The Red Wings have a good prospects pool, plus enough high draft picks to entice Ottawa, and they can even send over a couple of current players in the lineup to create more cap space.
Since Chychrun’s contract doesn’t expire until after the 2024-25 season, Detroit can keep him around as more than a rental if they create enough cap space, allowing him to become a pivotal piece for multiple playoff runs. And knowing Yzerman, making a trade like this work shouldn’t be an issue.
Keeping Chychrun around for another season would also give the Red Wings an extended look at the defenseman to see if he’s a great fit long-term.
Chychrun adds a legitimate layer of help in the defensive zone
As good as the Red Wings have been with the puck in their possession (currently fifth in goals scored with 180 as of February 12th), defense has been another story. Therefore, a player as talented as Chychrun provides a layer that should ease the Red Wings pain in the defensive zone this season.
So far, Detroit hasn’t been awful defensively, ranking 20th in the league with 164 goals allowed. However, they have had major issues at goaltender, with only Alex Lyon putting up a solid campaign with a 0.921 save percentage, a 2.54 GAA, and two shutouts in 22 games.
However, Lyon isn’t a full-time No. 1 goaltender, as he has shared the net with Ville Husso and James Reimer. Neither has enjoyed a brilliant year, so adding someone who has gotten in the way of shooting lanes time and again this season will help alleviate those issues.
This isn’t to claim Chychrun will be a complete difference-maker, as Reimer and Husso must hold up their respective ends of the deal at times. But since the 25-year-old has 81 blocks this season and is approaching a career-high, his presence will more than help.
At this point, Chychrun would only need to stay healthy for the remainder of the season and the playoffs should he arrive in Detroit and do his part in preventing opponents from constantly scoring on Reimer and Husso. Should Chychrun come to the Motor City and add that layer of defense, the Red Wings are likely to make the playoffs.
Chychrun’s two-way game gives the Red Wings another legitimate scoring option
As mentioned in the previous section, the Red Wings are one of the top scoring teams in hockey. And while Chychrun would benefit the team defensively, he is also a two-way player who will help in the offensive zone.
We see this reflected in Chychrun’s numbers, where he currently has 29 points and eight goals, plus a respectable 7.1 shooting percentage. While Ottawa is just barely in the top half from a scoring standpoint, they are also averaging 3.38 goals per game as of February 12th, which ties them for eighth in the NHL alongside the Boston Bruins.
This might lead to some speculation that Chychrun is the product of a high-powered system over in Ottawa. But remember, he also had 28 points in 36 contests with the Arizona Coyotes in 2022-23 before the Senators traded for him.
Currently, Chychrun has 0.6 points per game, but if you do the math, his 22 in 36 last season equaled 0.77 per on a team that finished in the bottom six of the NHL in goals scored per game with 2.74.
Therefore, Chychrun has shown us in Ottawa and even in Arizona that he brings a sound, two-way dynamic. This should be welcoming news to one of the top scoring teams in the league in the goals scored per game category that the Red Wings are.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference as of February 12th)