Washington Capitals acquire Jakob Chychrun from Ottawa Senators

Credit: Mar 27, 2024; Buffalo, New York, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) waits for the face-off during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Capitals have acquired defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick.

NEWS | The Washington Capitals have acquired defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick. pic.twitter.com/F0iiGSeNPw

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 1, 2024

The Senators had been looking to move Chychrun close to the trade deadline last season as it became apparent that he wasn’t a fit on the blueline for the team. The Capitals get an upgrade on their blueline with Chychrun, while the Senators get a more stable defensive presence on the right side in Jensen.

Chychrun is coming off of one of his best seasons in his career last year, where he had 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points in 82 games. It’s ties his career-high in points that he set in 2020-21, although that came in only 56 games during the COVID-shortened season.

Chychrun is entering the final year of his six-year contract with a $4.6 million cap hit, and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. There is currently no reports on if the Caps are close to a contract extension with Chychrun at this point in time.

Jensen had 1 goal and 13 assists for 14 points in 78 games last season, a big step back from his 29-point season in 2022-23. He also got into one game with the Caps in the playoffs where he was held pointless as Washington was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Rangers.

Jensen is entering the second year of a three-year contract with a $4.05 million cap hit.

This wasn’t the only splash of the day for the Senators, as they also have signed David Perron to a two-year contract. They still have just under $8 million in cap space with only Shane Pinto remaining as a restricted free agent on their roster.

The Caps have also made a few other moves today by re-signing Connor McMichael, Mitchell Gibson and Chase Priskie, and signing Matt Roy to a seven-year deal in free agency. They currently find themselves almost $11 million above the salary cap, but that also does not include Nicklas Backstrom‘s $9.2 million cap hit, and potentially T.J. Oshie‘s $5.75 hit depending on his status next season.