NHL Rumors: 4 Teams Pursuing Jakob Chychrun

In his most recent 32 Thoughts piece, Elliotte Friedman noted that the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and St. Louis Blues are all interested in Jakob Chychrun.

When looking at the current standings, it's clear that a player like Chychrun would be very beneficial for each of these teams. The Hurricanes, Blues, and Ducks are all currently in playoff spots, while the Kings are in the wild card hunt.

Friedman noted that the Hurricanes, in particular, could be a perfect fit for Chychrun, as his $4.6 million cap hit over the next four seasons is very affordable for them. However, the same could be said for the rest of these teams, too. The 23-year-old's contract is simply a steal.

All four of these teams could use a legitimate top-pairing defenseman in their lineup (I mean, who wouldn't), but it's intriguing to think about which ones can actually give Arizona what they are looking for. In terms of prospects, the Kings and Ducks may have the other two contenders beat.

In 26 games this season, Chychrun has two goals, five assists, and a minus-29 rating. It's been a down year for the star defenseman, but especially after remembering that he just had 18 goals and 41 points in 56 games last season. This kind of season shows just how good he is capable of being, so interest around the league will only grow from here.

Alas, it will be interesting to see if any of these teams successfully land Chychrun. Friedman noted that the Coyotes likely would rather deal him to the Eastern Conference, so perhaps Carolina has the best shot amongst this quartet of teams.