Jakob Chychrun’s season was put at risk when he suffered a knee injury in his offseason training that required surgery earlier this month. He wasn’t given a timeline, and the team announced just that the young defender was “out indefinitely.” While new Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet still wouldn’t give a specific time frame, he did tell NHL Network that Chychrun will be back this season.
He’s just a beast. If this happened to somebody else, you might have a guy who’s out for the year.
Chychrun has long been known for his elite strength and conditioning, and it was part of what made him a first-round pick in the 2016 draft. A comeback will be an important part of any Coyotes season, as the team expects to compete this year for a playoff spot. After suiting up for 68 games in his rookie season, a big step forward was expected this year.
- Eddie Lack knew he’d be sent out of town after the Carolina Hurricanes traded for and signed Scott Darling. Lack tells Hockeysverige in Sweden that Calgary was basically a dream scenario, reunited with Glen Gulutzan and paired with Mike Smith on a team expected to compete for the Stanley Cup. Lack has just one year left before becoming an unrestricted free agent, and if he can steal the starting job from Smith at some point he’ll be highly sought after on the open market.
- Though there is still no announcement on a new Nikita Zadorov contract, Adrian Dater of BSN Denver isn’t worried. Reports have surfaced previously that Zadorov had already agreed to a two-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, and Dater makes it clear that he won’t be heading back to the KHL.