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2016 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Jakob Chychrun

Jakob Chychrun

Position: D
Current Team: Sarnia Sting (OHL)
Date of Birth: March 31, 1998
Place of Birth: Boca Raton, FL, USA
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 194 lbs
Shoots: Left

Coming into this past season, Jakob Chychrun was widely considered to be the top defensemen in the 2016 NHL Draft. Now, several rankings have him in the later part of the top 10. That is still a really good spot to be in but many analysts predicted he would go in the top 3 or 4 just a few months ago.

Chychrun has plenty of NHL pedigree to his name. He is the son of former NHL enforcer Jeff Chychrun and his uncle is Luke Richardson. Jakob represented Canada in the WJC-18 this past season but failed to make the U20 team. Despite being born and raised in Florida, he claims Canadian citizenship.

The first overall pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection is a strong two-way defender with great skating ability. He is not afraid to unleash his shot, especially on the power play.

Jakob Chychrun is a rising star with a toolbox bursting at the seams. Consistently displays elite four-way skating ability and is not afraid to throw his weight around physically. Plays with poise and composure through high pressure situations and, with the puck on his stick, can direct the play up-ice – Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects

A Good Fit in Columbus?

While you always want to draft the best player available, Chychrun does not fill the biggest need for the team as the front office should be looking to one of the elite forwards in this draft. Still, if the Jackets have him #4 on their board and he is available at, say, #7 would they take him? Hard to say. You can never have too many good prospects, but it just seems like Chychrun won’t end up in Columbus given that he is 1) falling on many draft boards/rankings, 2) the odds of Columbus being on the clock and no elite forwards on the board are pretty low, and 3) they just spent first round picks on Werenski and Carlsson last year. That isn’t to say he would be a bad fit, but the team seems likely to go in another direction.

Chychrun in Action