Report: Timeline revealed for potential Chychrun trade

A myriad of reports over the past two summers have confirmed that the Yotes are steadfast in their desire to move Chychrun's contract, but have not come down on their asking price to the point where any interest has led to significant ground being gained on any trade negotiations, but the fact that they're in the midst of a full-blown rebuild and haven't wavered in their desire to move the 24-year-old is a pretty good sign that a trade is coming.

One team who is believed to have shown persistent interest is the Ottawa Senators. The move makes a lot of sense for a Senators team who are looking to transition from pretender to contender. The Sens have recently made moves to acquire Alex DeBrincat from Chicago and Cam Talbot from Minnesota and have also inked Claude Giroux as a free agent earlier this summer. The only thing they haven't done is address a substantial need on the blueline. Chychrun would certainly do that.

The Sens and Yotes are believed to have been in close contact at the 2022 draft in Montreal and we know that Sens GM Pierre Dorion has been extra aggressive this summer in his pursuit of the pieces that he believes he needs to make his team competitive. We also know that he has the full support of ownership, who has allowed him to spend big money this summer.

With a player like Chychrun, there is always more than one team to watch, and Chychrun has also been linked to the Bruins, Leafs and Panthers in the Atlantic Division, so if the Sens want Chychrun, they're certainly going to have competition.

Freeing up cap space has been a challenge for a lot of executives this summer and with Chychrun having 3 years left at $4.6M per season, any team who wishes to compete with the Sens will have to find a way to make room for Chychrun's contract. There is the possibility, however, that the Yotes would consider taking back a contract to push the deal through, so long as the package they receive is worth their while.