'Yotes Notes: Chychrun Embraces Long-Term Contract

GLENDALE -The Coyotes want Jakob Chychrun positioned on their blue line for a long time.
General Manager John Chayka and Head Coach Rick Tocchet like how Chychrun handles himself on the ice and off, and both believe he's a key component in building a steady winner in Arizona. That's why the Coyotes signed Chychrun to a six-year contract on Tuesday that begins after this season, the final season of his entry-level deal.

On the ice, Chychrun is a multi-tooled, dynamic player who can defend, skate, pass and score. Off the ice, he's a relentless hard worker who knows how to maintain his body and how to overcome adversity when injured.
Chychrun, 20, has notched 11 goals and 23 assists in 119 NHL games. Beyond his stats, the Coyotes value Chychrun's passion for the game and his integrity.
"He's a special person," said Chayka, who traded up to draft Chychrun 16th overall in 2016. "If we didn't have a strong belief in the person we wouldn't do this deal. That's a big part of these long-term extensions, and that's why we're excited about it."
Chychrun has twice been sidelined in his brief NHL career by serious knee injuries that required surgeries. He worked tirelessly to get back in the lineup both times, including this off-season. He played his first game of the season on Tuesday at Detroit after missing the first 16 games.
"Injuries are a part of the game," Chayka said. "It's a contact sport so they're going to occur throughout anyone's career. Jakob's a good person. He loves the game. He wants to contribute and help this team out and do whatever he can to get back and be a productive performer for us."
Chychrun said he's thrilled to sign a long-term deal with the Coyotes.
"It means a lot," Chychrun said. "It's the organization showing a lot of confidence in me as a person and a player. It's something I take a lot of pride in. This is where I want to be. I love it in Arizona, I love this group of guys and I love the staff in this organization from top to bottom, so I'm very thankful. It's just the beginning of my time here and I hope to be here even longer."

The Coyotes have Chychrun and other defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Alex Goligoski and Jason Demers all signed through at least the 2020-21 season. Plus, starting goalie Antti Raanta and center Christian Dvorak also signed long-term deals not too long ago.
"I love what they're doing here," Chychrun said. "They're trying to get the young guys here committed long-term and I think everyone's on the same page in this room. Everyone wants to be here. Everyone wants to win here. We believe we can win here. We just need to keep working on the little things. It's exciting for us in this room."
Tocchet, who plays Chychrun about 20 minutes per game, is pleased to have him under contract beyond this season.
"I'm happy for him," Tocchet said. "He's a great person and a great kid, and he's going to be a good hockey player for us."
• Arizona begins a five-game homestand on Thursday vs. the Nashville Predators, who lead the NHL with 13 victories, including eight on the road. The Coyotes own a 4-3-0 record at Gila River Arena, and are 4-1-0 in their past five games played there. Boston, Vegas, Colorado and Calgary will follow Nashville into Glendale over the next 11 days.
• Raanta, who has missed the past five games because of a lower-body injury, has been skating on his own and is expected to return to the lineup at some point during the homestand. He's considered day-to-day but is not expected to play vs. Nashville on Thursday.
"He's making progress," Chayka told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, the team's flagship radio station. "Things are looking good. It's nothing long-term."
Arizona is 1-3-1 in the five games Raanta has missed.