Jordan Kyrou knew a move was coming — and it wasn't one he took lightly.

After all, Kyrou hadn't exactly requested a trade, though he'd heard some things in the works. Then on Tuesday, he was told to stay by his phone, and got a call from his agent asking to waive his no trade clause after eight years with the St. Louis Blues.

It took what Kyrou said was "pretty much all day" to think it through, but in the afternoon, he accepted a trade to the Washington Capitals.

"Definitely a crazy day for me," Kyrou said, adding, "Definitely a tough decision."

Washington is something of a perfect fit for the 28-year-old, who is looking forward to bringing his speed, finesse and craftiness to the Capitals' top-6. 

Ultimately, though, it wasn't his identity as a player, or anything about D.C.'s systems, that really drew him to the District. It was something else, a familiar feeling for several Capitals, including Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois: the feeling of being wanted.

"I think they were really pushing for me, for me, and it's nice seeing a team really, really want me," Kyrou said. "It just makes me you know excited to come join the organization. I've also heard just from a lot of friends that it's a great city, great organization, great fan base there, a lot of history. I'm just excited to be coming."

That said, Kyrou is eager to prove the Capitals right, especially as he looks to rebound after a bit of a down year in 2025-26.

While dealing with injury throughout the year, Kyrou had just 18 goals and 46 points in 72 games. He had a minor knee procedure at the end of the year and is fully healthy now as he heads into the offseason and prepares for the start of training camp.

Kyrou has three 30-goal seasons under his belt, and in four of his six full seasons playing in the NHL, has hit at least 67 points. It's that kind of production that he has his sights set on as he starts over in a new city.

"They've got a lot going on on their team," Kyrou said of Washington. "They've got great D, a lot of skill D. A lot of their core, they can score, make plays, so I think I fit really well and hope I can bring some speed to the lineup."

Beyond that, he wants to show the Capitals that he can play a complete 200-foot game and be a responsible player who can log heavy minutes and take on multiple responsibilities as he enters the fourth year of an eight-year contract.

"All my coaches over the years really helped me just have a better overall two-way game, and work on the little parts of my game, the little details, the defensive side, and just being good without the puck," Kyrou said. "I think it's come a long way, and obviously I'm still trying to work at it and still get better at it, but I think it's definitely come a long way from when I first joined the league."

Kyrou plans to come down to Washington in the coming weeks to get to know the area and do some house hunting before returning to Ontario, where he'll train with new teammate Tom Wilson and other familiar faces.

Then, he'll officially join his new team on the ice, where he's confident he can emerge as a top scorer once again.

"I think I got a lot to prove, and I'll bounce back here this year," Kyrou said. "I'm just having a good summer and just getting back to it and getting healthy again."