A Jakob Chychrun trade to be completed soon?

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Dorin Canaday
December 8, 2022 (1:41 PM)

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Jakob Chychrun may have a new home sooner rather than later, one insider has reported.

The Arizona Coyotes have finally been able to showcase the star defenseman after he missed the first 16 games of the season. Chychrun has been one of the hottest trade bait pieces since last year's Trade Deadline, and he's raising his stock back up again.

As per TSN's Darren Dreger:

''Obviously, we're at a point in the regular season where the pressure on GMs and owners is increasing ... You then have to put that aside and watch Chychrun play. Since his return, he has played seven games and has three goals and three assists. He is an imposing defender, and his shot is a bomb.''

The 24-year-old averaged 22:20 time on ice in his eight games this season on a Coyotes team who are last in the Central Division and 29th in the NHL with 18 points.

In those eight games, Chychrun has been elite and both ends of the ice, recording three goals and four assists and shutting down the opponent's best players.

In November, it was reported that Arizona GM Bill Armstrong's ask for the defenseman remains high, with the Coyotes wanting multiple first-round picks and an NHL prospect or youngster in exchange.

Dreger continued:

''There are still clubs interested in his services who find the price set by general manager Bill Armstrong too high, but I think there is a group of teams who realize that they may not have the choice to pay it.''

The Florida native is currently in the fourth year of a six-year, $27.6 million contract, which comes with an AAV of $4.6 million. Chychrun has mostly been linked to the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators.