The Washington Capitals’ decision to acquire Jakob Chychrun this summer has continued to pay off, with his elite production helping the team rise to the top of the Eastern Conference.
Chychrun lit the lamp once again Sunday afternoon against the Boston Bruins, striking on the power play to earn the game-winning goal. He now has 11 goals in 2024-25, tying Cale Makar and Zach Werenski for the league lead in goals by a defenseman — despite playing five fewer games and more than 200 fewer minutes than either other player.
After Mark Kastelic took a high-sticking penalty late in the first period, Chychrun struck just 15 seconds into the ensuing Capitals power play, shooting from the right circle to beat Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman.
Neither team would score after Chychrun’s goal until Aliaksei Protas’ empty-net tally sealed the game in the final minute. Head coach Spencer Carbery credited Chychrun’s goal for swinging the momentum of the afternoon.
“Today was great (for Chychrun),” he said. “Like special teams — that’s a huge goal in the hockey game to get us up 2-1 and give us a lead. And he’s brought in an element… He’s playing at a real high level.”
Carbery pointed to Chychrun’s smarts as a key factor in his success, putting him in the right place to receive the puck.
“He’s doing a lot of things really well — power-play wise, he’s getting himself into good spots, he’s such an elite skater at this level, he moves laterally so well. But I also find one of the maybe undercover [skills he has is] he’s a great reader of the game offensively of where to jump and the space to jump to. So a lot of times it ends up on his stick in a really dangerous situation and area.”
Chychrun’s teammates, too, highlighted what he brings to the team.
“He’s a really good, great offensive defenseman, first of all,” Aliaksei Protas said of Chychrun. “He’s playing really good right now, and all of our off-season pickups fit in really well. Like I said before, we’ve got a pretty special group and a group of really special [people] — that’s, first of all, the most important thing. And yeah, everybody’s playing great right now so we’ve got to keep it rolling.”
With 45 games to go, Chychrun is now on pace for a career-high 26 goals and 60 points this season. He spoke postgame on what’s fueled that offensive spark.
“I think just being confident and moving my feet, making plays and attacking when the opportunity’s there,” he said. “I think my shot has been something that I’ve worked on my whole life and a big part of my game. And when I have an opportunity, I try to bear down and score goals.
“The whole group’s been contributing and that’s what makes it fun. “Guys are confident, making plays, finding each other. And we’re able to score some goals and win hockey games, so it’s been a lot of fun.”
Beyond just on-ice success, Chychrun — who has played for three teams in the past three seasons — has found a place in the Capitals locker room, joining a slew of other summer acquisitions on what has become a tight-knit team.
“It’s been great. Yeah, I mean, it’s been awesome. I love these guys in this room. Top to bottom, this organization’s been phenomenal. It’s been a great start to the year for this team. So I’ve been enjoying it. And yeah, it’s just great. Feeling like every night we’ve got a chance to win and even though we don’t have our best stuff, we’re finding ways together as a group in this room and it’s been a lot of fun. So hopefully, it was a good way to close the year out if we can go into 2025 keeping this momentum going.”
The Capitals now lead the Eastern Conference and will end 2024 with a 25-10-2 record. After playing three games in under 72 hours, they’ll have a day to practice Wednesday before facing the Minnesota Wild at home Thursday evening.
