Former First-Round Pick Thriving With Capitals

A Washington Capitals defenseman is thriving in his first season with the team.

Nov 9, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the St. Louis Blues during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

In his debut season with the Washington Capitals, one of their newest defenders is thriving. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun has been an integral piece of the puzzle in Washington as they head into the beginning of 2025. They hold one of the top records in the Eastern Conference and NHL, and that should continue with the impressive play of Chychrun and the Capitals' blue line.

The Capitals were aggressive in their offseason makeover, and that included giving up multiple assets for the 26-year-old Chychrun. The former first-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes built a reputation for being rock solid with the Yotes and the Ottawa Senators, but he's taken another step forward since arriving in Washington.

Through 32 games, he's one of the best point producing defensemen in the NHL this season. He has 11 goals, which is tied for the most among defenders, and 14 assists for 25 points.

It's a continuation of what he started last season with the Senators, when he recorded 14 goals over the course of the campaign. The reason for it is simple: he shoots more and gets the puck on net. According to MoneyPuck statistics, he attempted 485 shots for the Sens last year and put 204 on goal. This year, he's up to 186 attempts through 32 games, landing 67 on net.

Washington has also figured out the ideal way to deploy Chychrun. They identified how strong he is in the transition game and they've managed his shifts accordingly. He starts nearly 65% of his shifts "on the fly", or when the action is happening between the whistles. This gives him the best chance of joining the rush or creating a takeaway that leads to offense for the team.

They've also been very particular with when they deploy him. In addition to be strong in transition, his best play comes at even strength. The hope has long been that he would develop into a power play quarterback. He is certainly capable, but it's just not a specialty of his. He does most of his scoring at 5-on-5, and the Caps are making an effort to only play him in those situations. 517 of his 636 minutes, or 81% of his ice-time so far in 2024 has come at even strength.

The Caps are thriving when he's on the ice because of the clever and effective way they are using him. According to individual statistics from QuantHockey, the Capitals are controlling the goals scored at even strength. The team's goals for percentage, taken by dividing the number of even strength goals scored by the number of even strength goals scored against, is 60% with Chychrun skating at 5-on-5.

For a 2026 third-round pick and veteran defender Nick Jensen, the Capitals acquired a crucial piece of their blue line in Jakob Chychrun. He's thriving in his first season in Washington, and the team is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

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