Another Arizona Coyotes Jakob Chychrun Trade Proposal

It’s no dark secret that the Arizona Coyotes have been considering trades this offseason. The latest is a Jakob Chychrun trade proposal sending him to the St. Louis Blues. While Chychrun isn’t demanding a trade and general manager Bill Armstrong is insisting that he has not put the defenseman on the trade block, it’s more than likely to go down if the right deal appears.

Jakob Chychrun Trade Proposal

There have been some rumors floating around that Armstrong’s trade return demands are quite deep for any team to actually consummate a deal. Chychrun is listed #3 on dailyfaceoff.com’s top trade targets, per Frank Seravalli. Chychrun mentioned in his season-ending media session, “that stuff is important to me. I want to be in a position where I’m getting ready to play [in the playoffs], not packing up and leaving the boys.” 

So, the latest Jakob Chychrun trade proposal to hit the news may fit the bill for both parties. It would send the six-year NHL blueliner to the Blues. The return would be: center Zachary Bolduc, defenseman Niko Mikkola, and left-wing Klim Kostin. The real jewel in this deal is the draft picks going to Arizona. They would receive a 2022 fourth-rounder, a 2023 first-rounder, and a 2024 third-rounder. That almost certainly fits Armstrong’s template of building for the future. We all know that the 2023 draft is pegged to be an outstanding collection of hockey talent. Receiving an additional 2023 first-round pick would please Armstrong.

Around Full Press Hockey

NHL: Barry Trotz Could Be The Perfect Solution To What Ails The Flyers

NHL Rumors: NHL Rumors: Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks

NHL: Patrice Bergeron Not Ready To Discuss Future Following Game Seven Loss

NFL: Los Angeles Chargers Defense Starting to Look Formidable

MLB: Feast or Famine: Tigers Seek Offensive Consistency

PODCAST: Full Press Hockey Weekly: Ep 28: NHL Draft Lottery; Stanley Cup; Islanders Coaching Situation

Players Heading to Arizona in This Jakob Chychrun Trade Proposal

Zachary Bolduc was the Blues 2021 first-round selection. He had an amazing season playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He is 19 years old, and scored 55 goals and 99 points in 65 games. Both Mikkola and Kostin were in the Blues’ system while Armstrong was the assistant GM in St. Louis. The familiarity Armstrong possesses with the Blues prospects makes this proposed deal even more attractive for Arizona.

Mikkola, 26 is a native of Finland and was the Blues #127 pick back in 2015. He stands 6-foot-4, 185 pounds and had three goals, 10 assists in 54 games with the Blues this season. Mikkola averaged about 17 minutes of ice time and dished out 109 hits and blocked 81 shots. He is a left-handed defenseman and would fit right in on the Yotes blueline.

Kostin, 23 stands 6-foot-3, 212 pounds and hails from the Russian Federation. He was the Blues #31 choice in the 2017 NHL draft. He participated in 40 games this season collecting four goals, five assists. His size has to be a positive for the Coyotes. He pounded out 90 hits and has some good potential for the rebuild Armstrong is conducting.

St. Louis Blues Perspective

The Blues have been clamoring for a left-side D-man to complement Colton Parayko for some time. They did acquire Nick Leddy from the Detroit Red Wings back in March. Now, he is an unrestricted free agent and has a $5.5 million cap hit. He has been Parayko’s blueline partner since he got to the Blues. The other issue is what to do with Marco Scandella who only had 14 points in 70 games this season? He has a $3.275 million cap hit through 2024-25. He has been rumored to be moved, and if Chychrun joins the lineup, that will most certainly happen.

They may re-sign Leddy who had 24 points in 75 games, but they only have about $9 million in cap space. That may not be enough to re-sign fan favorite (and playoff top performer) David Perron. He is coming off of a $4 million contract and has stated he wants to stay put.

The beauty of this trade proposal is Chychrun’s very reasonable contract of only $4.6 million good for three more years. Depending on what happens with Scandella, Leddy, and Perron could determine if the Blues make a realistic run at adding Chychrun. That would give St. Louis a great top-four blueline consisting of Parayko/Chychrun and Torey Krug/Justin Falk.

Final Analysis

It seems both teams would benefit from this Jakob Chychrun trade proposal. It seems that the right pieces line up well and now it would be up to the GM’s to decide if it happens. One must admit that even though the Coyotes are not getting a well-known player in return, they are getting some great picks and good potential prospects. Armstrong has made it known that is the direction he is pursuing to build this team going forward.

Whether it happens or not is yet to be determined. Both teams are known for completing some really blockbuster trades, so hold on to your hockey helmet as we see how this one goes.