Ottawa Senators Bolster Defense, Acquire Jakob Chychrun
Making waves across the hockey world, the Ottawa Senators acquired Jakob Chychrun on Wednesday, one of the best defensemen in the league. The 24-year-old has 28 points, 43 hits, and 56 blocked shots this season. Chychrun hasn’t played since February 10 due to being placed on the trading block.
“A defenceman we’ve coveted, Jakob is big and plays imposingly,” Sens GM Pierre Dorion said in a statement. “He possesses a quality skill set; he defends hard and is highly skilled. He uses his heavy shot with accuracy and is effective at creating offense as a threat at the blue line.”
Trade alert! The #Sens have acquired defenceman Jakob Chychrun from @ArizonaCoyotes in exchange for a conditional first-round draft pick in ?23, a conditional second-round selection in ?24 (previously acquired from @Capitals) and a second-round pick in ?26. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/toPp9uDS3n
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 1, 2023
The Senators gave up a first-round draft pick and two seconds to secure the deal. Surprisingly, Ottawa decided to buy at the deadline. The club is pushing to return to the playoffs after a six-year hiatus and is currently +700 to reach the postseason.
Ottawa Senators Team OutlookAll Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Ottawa is still a couple of years away from being Stanley Cup Contenders. However, this move makes them one of the best up-and-coming teams in the NHL. Although only five points behind a wild card spot, bookmakers don’t believe they have a good shot of making the last dance. They are +50000 to win the Cup and +30000 to win the East.
The Sens are riding a three-game win streak and are preparing to face the Rangers in Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Chychrun is expected to make his debut in New York.
