“I Didn’t See a Proper Fit for the Player”
Staios asserts that while Chychrun is a talented player, the recent move was part of a strategy to create a more balanced team and maximize their chances of winning.
In March 2023, there was significant buzz when the Senators acquired defenseman Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a conditional first-round draft pick in 2023, a conditional second-round pick in 2024 (from the Washington Capitals), and a second-round pick in 2026.
Although it was a costly trade, Chychrun seemed to address the Senators’ ongoing shortage of genuine top-four defensemen. Furthermore, he had a special connection to Ottawa, spending many summers there with his family. At the time, many believed Chychrun was an ideal match for the Senators.
However, Chychrun admitted that he didn’t perform at his best while in Ottawa, and the team already had an abundance of left-shot offensive defensemen, making the fit less than perfect. GM Steve Staios confirmed this during a recent discussion on the Coming in Hot Podcast.
“Jakob’s a great player,” Staios said. “He’s a year away from free agency. I think the way we’ve been constructed – and these things take years to kind of come together – but I didn’t see a proper fit for the player. As good as he is, I’m trying to balance the team out and give us the best chance to win every night.”
Staios acknowledged that he values fans’ perspectives regarding the trade-off for Chychrun compared to the team’s current situation about a year later, noting that he wasn’t involved in the initial deal, which was made by his predecessor, Pierre Dorion.
“Ultimately, I believed I was enhancing our team by adding some experience,” Staios said. “He’s an experienced player with the right shot, and I’ve been following him for quite some time. We’re thrilled to have him on our roster.”
On the day of the trade, July 1st, Staios described Jensen as a “hard-nosed player with experience and a right shot, who gives it his all.”
This characterization certainly aligns with what the Senators need for their defense, but Jensen’s 10 penalty minutes last season raise some eyebrows. His career total of 136 penalty minutes is nearly equal to Brady Tkachuk’s total from last season (134). Typically, tough defensive players accumulate more than five minor penalties in a season, so it’s possible that Jensen might be an exception.
Leave a Reply