Jakob Chychrun, in his debut season with the Washington Capitals, significantly boosted their offense from the defense, helping them rise to the top of the NHL standings.
Now, his future remains in Washington for the long haul.
On Tuesday, Chychrun officially signed an eight-year contract extension valued at $72 million. This new contract, which begins next season and runs through 2033, will see the skilled defenseman with a cap hit of $9 million annually.
General Manager Chris Patrick announced the signing, stating, “Jakob is a dynamic and established defenseman in his prime, recognized as one of the league`s top players on the blue line.”
Patrick further added, “His dedication, talent, and versatility in excelling in all game situations on both offense and defense make him an invaluable asset to our team. He aligns perfectly with our team culture and future goals, and we are very excited that he will continue to be a key part of our organization for the next eight years.”
This season, Chychrun has scored 18 goals, surpassing the combined total of all other Capitals defensemen and ranking third among NHL defensemen. He has also contributed 25 assists, achieving a personal best of 43 points in 65 games. This offensive output more than compensates for any defensive risks he might take.
Coach Spencer Carbery has been testing Chychrun on the primary power-play unit, typically led by John Carlson.
Carbery commented on Saturday, “(Jakob) brings a different style to the power play compared to John. John is more strategic, with less movement, focusing on deflections and shooting lanes as a distributor. Chychrun is more mobile, using lateral movement across the blue line to create opportunities with his skating and utilizing his wrist shot, rather than relying on one-timers.”
Chychrun, who will turn 27 on Monday, suffered a skate cut to his right wrist during Saturday`s game against the Stanley Cup champions, Florida. Despite the injury, he returned to the game which Washington won 6-3, but he had limited practice on Monday before traveling to Winnipeg, causing some concern for Carbery.
Carbery mentioned, “We will monitor his condition. We are fortunate it wasn`t a more serious injury, but it is still a significant cut.”
Securing Chychrun’s re-signing was the final key item on Patrick’s agenda for the season, following successful contract extensions with goalies Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren.
Brian MacLellan, Patrick’s predecessor and current president of hockey operations, initially acquired Chychrun from Ottawa last offseason in exchange for defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick. This was one of several successful acquisitions by MacLellan, including Thompson from Vegas and center Pierre-Luc Dubois from Los Angeles.
The Capitals had shown interest in Chychrun at the 2023 trade deadline when Arizona traded him to Ottawa instead. After acquiring him, the organization prioritized securing Chychrun as a cornerstone player not just for Alex Ovechkin’s remaining seasons, but also for the team’s future phase, which includes promising prospect Ryan Leonard.
Chychrun is now signed for the longest term on the team, and his $9 million salary will make him the second-highest-paid player for Washington next season, after Ovechkin, and the highest-paid in subsequent years.
