The Arizona Coyotes are not in a good position. They are near the bottom of the NHL and are playing their home games in a college hockey arena. Arizona's rebuild timeline has opened the possibility of trading star defenseman Jakob Chychrun.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period provided more details on those discussions on Friday. Pagnotta reports the Los Angeles Kings and the Coyotes have “taken things up a notch or two” regarding Chychrun. The two teams are in “consistent dialogue” regarding the 24-year-old blueliner.
This report comes on the heels of earlier reports indicating the Boston Bruins were the leaders on Chychrun. The Bruins are still involved, Pagnotta notes, and a trade is not currently imminent.
Chychrun's age makes him an attractive addition for interested teams. He helps you now and in the future while still entering his prime as a player. Furthermore, the 24-year-old is rather affordable.
The Coyotes defenseman has two years remaining on his contract at a $4.6 million cap hit. He skates over 20 minutes a night and has 27 points in 35 games.
Chychrun has indicated a desire to see this trade saga end soon, according to Pagnotta. However, the Coyotes are waiting for the best return, and so far the values haven't matched up.
Last season, the Coyotes asked the Kings for top prospect Gabe Vilardi. That decision has paid off, as the 23-year-old has 31 points in 45 games for a contending Los Angeles team.
The Kings do have a deep prospect pool to reach into if they want to push this deal over the line. Will they include former second-overall pick Quinton Byfield in a deal? Or will they refrain from including the top of their top prospects? Either way, this is a situation for hockey fans to keep an eye on ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
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