HOW GOOD IS JAKOB CHYCHRUN?
By Lowetide
8 years agoFor Edmonton Oilers fans, the annual ‘will they or won’t they?’ draft talk surrounds the team selecting a defenseman with their first-round pick. Even though draft picks have been taken No. 1 (Hall, Nuge, Yak, McDavid) and other spots inside the top five (Leon), none of those top five selections were used on a defender. Darnell Nurse? He was chosen No. 7 overall and represents one of only three blue line first-rounders (Alex Plante, Oscar Klefbom) by the organization this century. Will Jacob Chychrun be the fourth? He is a substantial talent.
Jakob Chychrun is a fantastic skater, and can be a dynamic player. In viewing various scouting reports, there appears to be a gap forming. Some believe he is an outstanding, top end prospect, while others see him as a quality prospect who falls shy of elite. Here is an example:
- Anonymous Scout: “NHL scouts are really torn on him, although some still absolutely love
him and believe he’s right there with Matthews. I love a lot of things
about his game, but I just wish I saw him be more of a consistent game
breaker.” - Source
OFFENSE
Chychrun had a fabulous offensive season last year, one year removed from his draft. That raised expectations for the 2015-16 season, and he (for the most part) ran in place:
- 2014-15: 42, 16-17-33 .786 points-per-game
- 2015-16: 62, 11-38-49 .790 points-per-game
Those are both strong seasons (Darnell Nurse was .603 points-per-game in his draft year, Aaron Ekblad .914 in his) but are they elite? Chychrun closed very well (2-6-8 in seven playoff games, and 17, 3-14-17 to end the regular year) but even very good junior defensemen don’t get prime power-play time in the NHL. If Chychrun isn’t a PP dynamo, does an NHL team spend a top-five overall pick on him? It is a difficult question.
- Aaron Ekblad (draft year) PP: 58, 16-15-31 .534
- Jakob Chychrun (dr year) PP: 62, 8-20-28 .451
SCOUTING REPORTS
- Steve Kournianos, The Draft Analyst: Only a few of the strongest draft-eligible prospects possess the type of
skill to impact the game in all three zones, and by impact we mean
significantly alter the course of a given game. Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia’s
towering blueliner who last season quickly established himself as one
of the OHL’s most complete players, is at this point a likely top-five
pick. He can beat you inside and out, skate through you or around, and
either nail you to the boards or laughingly absorb a hit at full speed.
He can easily be classified as a two-way defender, but what makes him
unique among his peers is the way he divides his elite play equally
depending on the game situation. - Source
- Brock Otten, OHL Prospects: “The potential is sky high at both ends of the
ice. Mobility is top notch. So is the shot and his awareness of how/when
to jump up in the play. Defensively, he’s learning how to use his body
consistently, but he’s a rock. IMO he’s ahead of where Aaron Ekblad was
at the same age and that’s saying something considering how good of a
rookie NHL season Ekblad had. Most well rounded defender the OHL has had
since Drew Doughty (although I’ve mentioned my Rob Blake comparison a
few times). Really, the only thing that concerns me is the shoulder
injuries. But if he stays healthy all year, I think that’s moot.” Source - Future Considerations: A highly talented kid who makes an impact in every aspect of the game.
He has impressive size and strength, solid overall mobility and the
hands and smarts to rush the puck. He also possesses a strong point
shot, sees the ice well and has ability to move the puck. Defensively,
he plays with strong defensive gaps, and has the ability and nastiness
to play it physical. Source
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Picking the first defender off the board at this moment is impossible. Craig Button’s latest list has Olli Juolevi at No. 7, Chychrun at No. 9, Mikhail Sergachev at No. 10, Jake Bean at No. 11 and Dante Fabbro at No. 12 overall.Source
At this point, I don’t think it is reasonable to assume anything about the defensemen in this draft. There is some ways to go before draft day and the Worlds may seal the deal. We can say Chyrchun is in the conversation, and that some believe he is a legit lottery talent.
Previously in the series:
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