One of the Coyotes’ best players looks to be on the way out.
The 2022–23 season is fast approaching. Here at Five For Howling, we’re looking at this year’s 25 best Arizona Coyotes players under the age of 25.
No Arizona Coyotes player had more hype going into the 2020-21 season than Jakob Chychrun. Fans had to watch multiple beloved players trade, but the fact that Chychrun was still around, young, and on a team-friendly contract suggested there was still some hope. There were rumblings about giving Chychrun the “C,” and for a while, he seemed like he was the only untouchable on the lineup.
Things sure look different a year later.
Jakob Chychrun
2021–22 League: NHL (Arizona Coyotes)
Regular Season Games Played: 47
Regular Season Goals: 7
Regular Season Assists: 14
Highest Individual Ranking: 2
Lowest Individual Ranking: 2
Last Year’s Ranking: 1
After having a career-high 18 goals in 56 games, Chychrun took a step back last season. He finished with seven goals in 47 games and spent much of his season nursing injuries.
It would be unfair to blame Chychrun for everything that went wrong last season. He was playing under a new coach, and thanks to shakeups on the blue line, he was without his long-time partner Alex Goligoski. He also had to watch numerous friends and teammates traded away, which couldn’t have been fun.
And Chychrun seemed to suffer from the worst luck throughout the season. He would start to have flashes where he finally started to look comfortable, only to be sidelined with another injury.
Before the start of this season, Chychrun ripped the bandaid off by letting fans and the media know about the trade rumors. The team had approached him before the season about going somewhere else, and at a certain point, he agreed, saying he wanted to play for a winner.
As difficult as it was to hear, it is nice that Chychrun finally confirmed what everyone expected a while ago. Unfortunately, Chychrun is on the way out, and while anything could happen and he could change his mind, it seems unlikely he will be with the Coyotes next season.
Unfortunately for the Coyotes, Chychrun is going to leave a big hole. At this moment, it doesn’t look like they have a future number-one defenseman in their system unless Victor Söderström turns around and has a big season. But Chychrun should get a sizeable return, which could include a defensive prospect or, hopefully, a high pick.
The only question remaining is when Chychrun will be traded. He is currently injured and won’t be on the opening night roster, but he could still be moved. He continues to generate interest, but General Manager Bill Armstrong has shown he is comfortable waiting until he gets what he wants.