Chychrun to make season debut Sunday in Vegas
Dec 3, 2017, 10:55 AM | Updated: 1:34 pm
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) drives on Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler in the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Jakob Chychrun’s long wait is over. Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet confirmed that Chychrun will make his NHL debut on Sunday night when the Coyotes face the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
Chychrun underwent knee surgery on Aug. 3 to repair an injury he sustained that week during off season training. The Coyotes have not revealed the nature of the injury, but since the early days of his rehabilitation process, both general manager John Chayka and coach Rick Tocchet have noted that he was ahead of schedule.
“He worked his ass off,” Tocchet said Sunday. “I can’t give enough credit to him.”
“I don’t want him to think that he has to come in here and be the next Paul Coffey. I want him to be Jakob Chychrun.”
Chychrun resumed skating on Oct. 21. Over the past few weeks, Chayka said it was just a matter of Chychrun logging enough hours, with the team viewing this period as his training camp.
The Coyotes acquired Chychrun at the 2016 NHL Draft by moving up from the No. 20 pick to No. 16 in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings. The Coyotes took on the remaining portion of Pavel Datsyuk’s contract and sent the Wings forward Joe Vitale, the 20th pick and the 53rd pick.
Chychrun made the team out of training camp last fall, a surprise given his age (18).
Coyotes D-man Jakob Chychrun on learning he’ll stay beyond the 9-game trial period for junior-eligible players in the CHL-NHL agreement: pic.twitter.com/JBYk7XSvpE
— Craig Morgan (@craigsmorgan) November 2, 2016
He had seven goals and 20 points in 68 games as a rookie. When Niklas Hjalmarsson returns to the lineup from injured reserve, the Coyotes will have the top six they always envisioned on the blue line: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jason Demers, Hjalmarsson, Alex Goligoski, Chychrun and Luke Schenn.
The Coyotes officially recalled Chychrun from the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League on Sunday morning, although he is already with the team in Las Vegas. In a corresponding roster move, the team re-assigned defenseman Andrew Campbell to Tucson.
It was unclear if Chychrun would address the media before the game. His father, Jeff Chychrun, a former NHL player, said he was choked up when he read the news.
“We’ll be in Arizona on the 19th,” he wrote in a text message. “So proud of him.”
Tocchet said that goalie Antti Raanta (upper body) is not ready to return to the lineup. Scott Wedgewood will start in goal against the Golden Knights. Wedgewood made 27 saves to post his second career shutout in a 5-0 win against the New Jersey Devils at Gila River Arena on Friday.
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