ARLINGTON V.A. — Jakob Chychrun wants to live in the present, he declares in his first media availability since joining the Washington Capitals.
The 26-year-old blueliner has been doing just that to start his summer, spending time at his cottage in White Lake, taking in the fresh air and nature around him with his extended family in tow for the Canada Day weekend.
For Chychrun, he didn't want to spend this offseason fretting over what was next, as was the case when he was with the Arizona Coyotes.
"It was definitely very different (from the first time I was traded)," Chychrun said, adding, "This situation was a little bit different in the sense that I was just trying to live my life, be present... just kind of let the chips fall where they need to."
He'd still touched base with his agent to check in on the situation brewing behind the scenes; his days in Ottawa appeared to be numbered, but he still wasn't sure if he'd be moved. The two touched base on July 1, and mid-conversation, his agent hung up after getting a call from Senators general manager Steven Staios. Thirty seconds later, he called back.
"'Well, bud, you've been traded,'" Chychrun recited with a laugh.
When he heard he was headed to Washington, he'd been shocked. Then, the more he learned about the Capitals — and the tremendous offseason they were putting together — the more excited he grew, especially with the overhaul D.C. made to kick off the offseason.
“It seems like they’ve done a great job kind of retooling, guess you could say on the fly. It seems like they’ve been very aggressive and it’s great to see," Chychurn said. Tthey’re a group that wants to win and i’m just so excited. A lot of the moves they’ve made, I’ve loved. I think they’ve done a great job of improving the team and I’m thrilled, honestly."
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For Chychrun, getting to go to a team that wants to contend and is actively making changes to get to that point is even more meaningful, especially after a rocky year with Ottawa.
"I felt I wasn't playing my best hockey (there), I was a little bit frustrated with the way I was playing," he admitted. "I think the coaching change and ownership change was tough on a lot of the guys, just a lot of noise. It seemed like a distraction for our group, we never seemed to be able to all get on the same page and really take a step as a team together and make a push. It was something that was really frustrating for everyone in that room... that's kind of tough to leave on those terms."
Though it's difficult to leave the past behind, the 6-foot-2 blueliner really needed a fresh start, and he's excited that opportunity will come with Washington.
When it comes to what he wants to bring to D.C., Chychrun obviously wants to bring his offense, but most importantly, wants to be a go-to, reliable defenseman.
“I like to be a two-way defenseman, I can play in all zones, all situations on the ice. I really love having the puck on my stick, skating with the puck, using my skating ability to defend hard, take away time and space from other teams’ top players and be a guy that coaches can rely on," Chychrun said, adding, "I’ve learned so much throughout my career. It feels like I got in yesterday, but you know, the game starts to add up and I’m just excited to bring just another voice to the room. I think I like to have a lot of pride and like to be a little bit of a leader and try to lead with my work ethic and how I prepare and take care of myself and always try to be the best in everything that I bring to the table."
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The potential to capitalize on his scoring chances and work with Alex Ovechkin makes Washington an even better landing spot, too, and he's confident he can help the offense, which struggled greatly last season.
“That’s obviously a big part of my game. I grew up playing forward, so i always have had those offensive instincts and it’s something I enjoy very much. I’m excited to bring that to Washington and play with guys who, I mean, like I said, we’ve got probably the greatest goal scorer of all time and a group that has scored a lot of goals in the past, and I guess they struggled last year a bit," Chychrun said. "but it’s something that I don’t think should be an issue for this group. I’m excited to hopefully be able to add to that and I can’t wait to see what we can do and hopefully be able to contribute and personally and help this group in that aspect.”
In addition to fitting in on the ice, Chychrun was also thrilled to join the team because of the off-ice dynamic. Not only are the Capitals renowned for their locker room culture, but the defenseman has a lot of strong relationships with several members of the organization.
“One hundred percent that helps tremendously," Chychrun said of knowing so many teammates, adding, "It makes a big difference. So I’m thrilled and can’t wait to continue to build on the relationships I have and start new ones with the guys who I haven’t met yet. I’ve heard nothing but great things about the group, so it’s gonna be very special.”
What made the deal even sweeter was Duhaime's addition; the two grew up playing together in Florida and have remained close as they've pursued their respective pro careers.
"I was down by the lake talking to my agent about everything, and from the top of the hill where the cottage is, I hear my mom. She starts screaming, and then I turn around and look up and then she yelled, 'Duey!' He's a close buddy of mine I grew up with in South Florida... a couple of boys who grew up playing in South Florida together are now reconnected at the NHL level."
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In addition to Duhaime, Chychrun also knows Raddysh, as well as Dylan Strome — the two lived together in Arizona — and Scott Allen, who coached Chychrun during his tenure with the Coyotes.
"One of the big things was being able to work with Scottie Allen again. Scott, he was my D coach in Arizona, absolutely loved Scotty," Chychrun recalled. "We had a great relationship and he’s someone that I really, really respect how hard of a worker he is, how well prepared he is, how much he cares about the guys, how much he cares about me."
With so many familiar faces in the District, Chychrun already feels at home, and he hasn't even stepped into the locker room yet. And with one year left on his contract, he's ready to see if he's finally found a team he can call home for the long haul.
"I think it’s a great fit for me personally," Chychrun said. "I’m just so excited to be able to help contribute to this team and try to take this team into the playoffs (again)... everything just seemed like it happened the way it was supposed to and I’m just thrilled to be able to join the Capitals.”
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