Jakob Chychrun will be the first to say how much he's grown over the last couple of years with the Washington Capitals, and following a milestone-filled 2025-26, he will look to kick things into higher gear this coming season.
This past year was a pivotal one for Chychrun, who led all NHL defensemen with 26 goals while recording a career-high 60 points through 80 games. All the while, he averaged the most ice time of his career since 2020-21 with the Arizona Coyotes, skating over 23 minutes per game.
On a more personal level, Chychrun also grew quite a bit, getting married and welcoming his first child, a daughter, into the world.
"Lots to be grateful for," Chychrun said at the end of the season. "Obviously with me and my life, and becoming a father has been obviously just incredible... very blessed. I was an emotional guy before I had a kid. Now with her in my life, it's special."
Still, Chychrun felt like there was unfinished business, as the Capitals just missed out on a playoff berth as the team struggled to find consistency earlier on in the season.
Going into next year, he'll continue to take on a bigger role, as Washington continues to shift to the post-John Carlson era on the blue line while also missing Rasmus Sandin up front.
"Every year just goes by so quick, and I always get emotional at the end of the season... just trying to reflect, and it's never easy," Chychrun said. "You just remember coming into the league, sitting in the room with guys like Shane Doan and Mike Smith in Arizona and they're just always telling you, 'The window's not as big as you think it is when you come into this league... Blink, and I'll be going into Year 11."
Chychrun has proven to be a vital part of the Capitals blue line, having led the team in Corsi-for percentage, shots-for percentage and on-ice shooting percentage and save percentage at 5-on-5 last year. Not only does his offense help, but he is hard to go up against, and his skating and stickhandling helps him win battles and keep the puck out of harm's way.
The 28-year-old has also shown that he can have chemistry with just about anybody, and has shown to be a strong fit with Matt Roy, whose shutdown style helps open the ice and allow Chychrun to focus more on the offensive aspect of his game. There's also the potential that he could get time with Vincent Desharnais and Timothy Liljegren.
Regardless, Chychrun is ready to do what he can to continue to build not only on his game, but help the Capitals live up to expectations as legitimate contenders.
