NHL Rumor Mill – September 3, 2022
An update on Jakob Chychrun plus the latest Stars speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
GO PHNX.COM: In his latest mailbag segment, Craig Morgan was asked if there was any truth to the rumor that Jakob Chychrun’s camp nixed a trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this summer.
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (NHL Images).
Morgan replied that he reported on that story right after the draft. “I had multiple sources tell me that was the case, but a Columbus source denied it.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Columbus Dispatch’s Brian Hedger on July 5 that the Coyotes and Jackets were discussing a Chychrun deal.
Heading into the 2022 NHL Draft on July 7 and 8, the Jackets held the sixth and 12th overall selections. Hedger indicated general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was willing to shop the latter pick for a young NHL player with term remaining on their contract.
Kekalainen ultimately retained that selection and chose defenseman Denton Mateychuk. Perhaps it was because Chychrun didn’t want to go to Columbus. Maybe it was because the two sides simply couldn’t reach an agreement on a deal. Whatever the reason, Chychrun remains with the Coyotes.
Chychrun lacks no-trade protection for the coming season. The Coyotes could’ve traded him to the Jackets without his consent. Perhaps they wanted to do right by him by sending him to a club of his choosing.
Recent speculation had the Ottawa Senators interested in Chychrun. However, they reportedly balked at the Coyotes’ asking price, believed to be two first-round picks and a top prospect.
THE ATHLETIC: In his recent mailbag segment, Saad Yousuf was asked if the Dallas Stars were making any efforts to acquire a right-side defenseman to allow Miro Heiskanen to play on his strong side. The departure of John Klingberg via free agency leaves a void on the right side of their blueline.
Yousef indicated the Stars are aware they need immediate help at that position. However, they have limited cap space with Jason Robertson to re-sign. Their efforts to address it should pick up whenever it becomes feasible.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yousef also wrote this before the Stars re-signed goaltender Jake Oettinger. With around $6.3 million in cap space and Robertson still to sign, they cannot afford to pursue a right-shot defenseman right now.
That doesn’t mean they can’t try a dollar-in, dollar-out trade. However, it could provide difficult, especially when we don’t know what Robertson’s salary will be.
Yousuf was also asked why the Stars haven’t traded Radek Faksa yet. He explained that the 28-year-old forward wouldn’t be easy to move given his declining play and $3.5 million average annual value through 2024-25.
Such a move could also involve salary retention or adding a draft pick as a sweetener. Yousuf said the Stars have decided they are better off with Faksa in the lineup and are hoping he’ll improve under the new coaching staff.
If I am Dorion a first 2024, Zaitsev and
Lassi Thomson . No Sanderson Stuztle or anything else except maybe a conditional pick. Two firsts plus is ridiculous and that is why I have said all along Chychrun isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. No team should offer up more , a first, salaried roster player and an A prospect
So basically you’re trading a first and Lassi and asking them to take on a guy that would usually cost the Sens a 2nd rounder to take on?
I don’t know which lala land team you’re making that trade with but it ain’t the yotes.
You’re getting a top pairing Dman that is under team control at a ridiculously low price.
You can’t expect to pay Pennie’s on the dollar.
I think fair value is top prospect, 1st rounder and young NHL Dman. And that’s without zaitsev.
So I’m not surprised it’s top prospect and two first if it’s gotta take on zaitsev also.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want the Sens to trade two first.
But I could see a deal that includes top 3 protected 1st, Brannstrom/JBD/Lassi, Formenton(if he’s cleared to play after the WJC debacle) and a second rounder with zaitsev going to Arizona.
That would be fair value.
For a guy who’s never played a full season, in 6 years has surpassed 20 points 3 times and only once surpassed 40 points?
There’s a reason why he remains in Arizona. And that reason is a ridiculous ask.
I asked the other day, I’ll ask again. Without using the following “change of scenery “, “hope he stays healthy “ or any other combination of hypothetical scenarios, what is so special that this guy commands that type of return?
A 1st and b prospect imo is probably about as good as that return gets. Maybe an a prospect if a gm is feeling risky!
Personally, I wouldn’t give up more than a 1st and 2nd. Hard pass.
@ Silvercreen… What do you think if Pittsburgh offered rhis package for Chychrun.
Marcus Pettersson young, salary similar, can play second pairing
Choice of Teddy Blueger or Kaspari Kapanen
Pierre Oliver Joseph
2023 # 1 draft pick
Maybe add sammy poulin prospect if needed.
Too much not enough?
Faksa would be a good 4th line center for someone like Carolina, Tampa or Colorado. He plays on the right side of the puck and is pretty strong in the dots. He hasn’t lived up to his 1st round pick status since being drafted. Solid player for a team that wants to become “harder to play against”. Really good on the PK also… Stars do need to find him a new home and give one of their young guns a chance.
$3.25M AAV is very pricey for a 4C
THIS, is true. Maybe the Stars retain half for the right return… even though, once they sign Robo, they will be out of space.
I think they can put the Chychrun-to-Ottawa rumor to bed. There is NO way Dorion forks over two 1sts + a roster player + a prospect for him.
Besides, according to a Garrioch interview with coach D. J. Smith, Artem Zub will be Chabot’s partner on the right side – he’s a very physical, hard-nosed stay-at-home type who, this past season, also chipped in with 6g 16a 22 pts and was a +1 over 81 gp.
The rest of the D line-up is also shaping up and in that same interview Smith revealed that Hamonic had played with “a bad knee for the last 20 games and toughed it out because he wanted to be part of the group” and that the much-maligned Zaitsev played with a broken heel and “really struggled with that for a long time … his pivoting and turning just wasn’t the same … I’ve seen (Zaitsev) and he’s in the best shape he’s been in since I’ve been here. He’s hungry to prove something.”
There are also the possibility that top prospect Jake Sanderson plays well in enough in camp to crack the roster and that one of – if not both – Bernard-Docker and Thompson are ready to stick at the NHL level.
The rumour has just been put down for a nap, George. Until Chuchrun has been traded, the rumours will wake up, even if they are sleep walking.
And with all due respect for some good young talent in Ottawa, no one – anywhere – is in as good a shape or is as determined as a player getting ready for the upcoming season.
I disagree with Morgan’s speculation. According to several local reports (Hedger as well as several blogs with access to insiders), Jarmo walked away from a Chychrun deal because he refused to meet Armstrong’s demand. Said demand was rumored to be 2 first round picks, Kirill Marchenko and either Alexandre Texier or Cole Sillinger, depending on which source you’re getting information from. Frankly, if Jarmo traded Sillinger and didn’t get a Tavares or Kane level return, he’d be tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail.
Agree with all if that, Paul.
Just for my own sake, and curiosity, what would it take to aquire young Sillinger from the Jackets?
That kid has 15+ productive years in the league written all over him.
I’d be tempted to pay a lot for his services.
Remembering that I’m not able to read Jarmo’s mind, so I can only answer as if I were the Jackets’ GM….. Minimum would be a center 25 years old or younger and either a high draft pick or a prospect. Sillinger is all but guaranteed to be the #1C the Jackets have been trying to get since the league granted Columbus an expansion team. And he likes playing here.
Don’t forget that Cole was born in Columbus when his father played here and was mostly raised here. I think Chinakhov, Texier and Marchenko are more available than Sillinger.
Agree with you guys on Sillinger.
How much for Johnson then Paul?
Played in a couple ball tourney’s with Silly’s dad back in Sask in the 90’s.
Dallas needs RD help. Does that mean Ethan Bear is going to Dallas now????😜
Faksa to Detroit for Suter! Stevie Y. prefers those big-bodied players! (ask Marty St. Louis)
I like that!
I can see the Wings shopping Suter, but not for another bottom six winger….we have a surplus of those already.
Oh man, Faksa’s last 2 years are not good! My memory thought he was near 40 pt seasons. I rescind that trade offer. I thought he only had one bad season.
Would love to see Ethan Bear on the Stars. And if it means having to give up Faksa or Gurianov to make room, I’m good. But the Stars are already a bit crowded with D men since taking Butcher and Wilson off Buffalo’s hands.
I’d rather have Chychrun than Hampus, Jacobs is better, JT isn’t worth the amount he’s getting that contract is grand larceny! if you want to make a living, you have to work for it. If you want to become rich, you play in the nhl.
Lindholm is the far better player, Rick.
That’s your opinion sop not mine Chychrun is better.
What he’s not being traded to the Oilers? Seams like every time I look every player and their mother is going to the Oilers.
D on September 3, 2022 at 1:40 pm
What he’s not being traded to the Oilers? Seams like every time I look every player and their mother is going to the Oilers
You spelled Leafs wrong.
I guess they did too.
✌️🤣