Insider Reveals the real reason Jakob Chychrun hasn't been traded yet and it's embarrassing

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L. Honein
February 17, 2023 (7:44 PM)

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The Arizona Coyotes and their General Manager, Bill Armstrong, are currently in the midst of a full rebuild. With that in mind, it's no surprise that the team is looking to trade some of its assets to acquire pieces that better fit its future plans. One of the biggest names on the trading block is Jakob Chychrun, who could be a valuable trade piece in a blockbuster deal.

Unfortunately, the Coyotes have been struggling to set the market for defensemen, which has become something of an embarrassment for the organization. A recent episode of Insider Trading with Darren Dreger shed some light on the situation, revealing that the trade between Arizona and the Los Angeles Kings had stalled because the Coyotes were unwilling to take on contracts beyond entry-level deals.

"The fact that, even though it's believed that Bill Armstrong and the Arizona Coyotes want to be creative, they're not willing to take on contracts beyond entry-level contracts."

This news came as a surprise, as the Coyotes have taken on contracts in previous seasons without any issue. The sudden change in policy has led to speculation that the team is trying to cover for taking on Zack Kassian, who has struggled to live up to his contract. However, it's also understandable that Armstrong is trying to limit the liabilities of his team as he rebuilds.

At present, the Coyotes have $18 million in cap space, but they are unwilling to spend money on talent, which has caused frustration among fans. This is particularly frustrating given that the team has an affordable cap hit in Chychrun, who is signed for $4.6 million AAV until 2025. The Coyotes could even afford to retain 50% of his salary cap hit to facilitate a trade, but it seems that the team is not taking the deadline seriously.

It's worth noting that the Coyotes are one of Gary Bettman's favorite teams, which has led some to question why the commissioner has not stepped in to address the situation. Regardless, it's clear that the Coyotes are in a challenging position as they work to rebuild their team and find the right pieces for the future.