Ottawa Senators keep defenceman Jacob Chychrun at trade deadline

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Jakob Chychrun stayed put in his second home Friday.

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While the Ottawa Senators defenceman rocketed up TSN’s trusty Trade Bait board in the hours before Friday’s National Hockey League trade deadline, general manager Steve Staios didn’t get an offer he couldn’t refuse and kept the 25-year-old defenceman.

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Chychrun will pull on his No. 6 jersey Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks as the Senators wrap up their current four-game road trip and try to halt a six-game winless skid.

The Senators insisted they weren’t trying to trade Chychrun through the past two months. That didn’t stop contenders from picking up the phone to see what it might take to put a deal together.

The belief was that, once Calgary Flames defenceman Noah Hanifan was moved to the Vegas Golden Knights a couple of days ago, the market for Chychrun might open up. The Tampa Bay Lightning were among the teams looking for help on the blueline.

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If the Senators were going to make this move, though, they would have had to get a good return. This fan base is witnessing a team that will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight year, and one thing I’ve learned about owner Michael Andlauer is that he’s a big believer in asset management.

It’s only been a year since the Senators made a deal to acquire Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes. The Senators picked him on March 1, 2023, in exchange for a first-round pick last June, a second-round pick in 2024 and a second-round selection in 2026.

If the Staios was to make a move involving Chychrun — and he’s accountable to Andlauer — then the deal would have to include a strong return. He has nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points in 61 games this season and has made his presence felt.

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That was why Staios was in no hurry to trade Chychrun. This is a big deal and it might make more sense to either wait until before the NHL draft in June or even see what Chychrun looks like under a new head coach with a different defensive system next season.

The Senators acquired him last spring when they were only three points out of a post-season position and felt he could be a valuable asset for playoff pushes for three years. This season has been a complete and total disaster, however, which is why Staios has had to explore all options.

Chychrun, who has one season left on a deal that carries a salary-cap hit of $4.6 million U.S., will make $7 million in real cash next season, and he has a $1-million signing bonus due this July 1.

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Teams studied him as a trade prospect this year because of they’d have him for two playoff runs.

A league executive told Postmedia earlier this past week that the Senators likely would want a first-round pick and more for Chychrun, but you would think the asking price would at least include someone who can take up the valuable minutes he plays.

That’s why the best bet for the Senators is to wait until the summer to determine what’s next for Chychrun. He could be a valuable asset the club could move then, which might get them a better return.

HELP ON THE WAY

The Senators made one move Friday by claiming winger Boris Katchouk off waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks.

The 25-year-old Katchouk was selected No. 44 overall by the Lightning in 2016. He has five goals and four assists for nine points in 38 games with the Blackhawks this season.

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The Senators are shorthanded with centre Josh Norris out for the rest of the season with a left shoulder injury. They called up forward Matthew Highmore from Belleville of the American Hockey League, but he left in the third period of the loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, his first game, because of an upper-body injury.

Making the league minimum $775,000, Katchouk will become a restricted free agent on July 1. This gives the Senators the chance to have a look at him now, and, if they don’t want to keep him, they can walk away in the summer.

Katchouk spent part of his pro career in the Tampa organization and played with Ottawa winger Mathieu Joseph with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate in Syracuse. Katchouk was en route from Chicago to San Jose to suit up Saturday against the Sharks.

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“He’s a dynamic, competitive player with an offensive upside,” Staios said from Los Angeles. “With our group, he’ll have an opportunity to come in and give us what he’s got. With our situation, with some of the injuries, I think Boris is a good fit.

“He’ll get an opportunity to come in here and make an impact. He plays with a lot of competitiveness and thinks that we’re looking for.”

The Senators will be without defenceman Thomas Chabot on Saturday. He’s out with unspecified ailment after limping off the ice in pain Thursday in Los Angeles. Staios said he didn’t believe Chabot would be out long-term, but as of Friday hadn’t received a complete update.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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