Just before free agency began Monday afternoon, Washington traded defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick to the Ottawa Senators for defenseman Jakob Chychrun.
“Jakob is a 26-year-old offensive defenseman who has nearly 500 games of NHL experience,” MacLellan said in a statement. “His unique skill set and experience will undoubtedly bolster our blueline, substantially increasing our offensive capabilities.”
Chychrun is entering the final year of a contract that carries an average annual value of $4.6 million. After acquiring him, the Capitals signed free agent defenseman Matt Roy to a six-year contract worth $5.75 million per year.
Chychrun, a left-handed shot, brings an offensive flair to Washington’s blue line, while Roy will add defensive stability on the right side of the lineup. Chychrun equaled his career high of 41 points last season with Ottawa.
“Matt is a steady right-handed defenseman who plays important minutes against the opposition’s top players and is extremely responsible in his own end,” MacLellan said. “We feel his addition will help strengthen our blue line for the next several years.”
Washington’s roster has changed dramatically over the past two weeks. The offseason moves began with trading goaltender Darcy Kuemper to the Los Angeles Kings for center Pierre-Luc Dubois. After adding Mangiapane last Wednesday, MacLellan acquired goaltender Logan Thompson from the Vegas Golden Knights and traded forward Beck Malenstyn to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
“We’re retooling and adding prospects and competing,” MacLellan said of Washington’s plans after the draft Saturday. Tackling that sort of triple mandate is nearly impossible to do successfully, but so far this offseason, the Capitals have navigated reshaping their roster in the present without losing sight of the future.
Also on Monday, Washington re-signed restricted free agent center Connor McMichael to a two-year contract worth $2.1 million per year, a bridge deal for the 23-year-old who solidified himself as a key piece of the Capitals’ lineup last season. McMichael scored 18 goals, tied for fourth on the team, and recorded 33 points while playing primarily as a middle-six center.
To bolster the fourth line, the Capitals added Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh on a pair of low-cost deals. Duhaime signed for two years at $1.85 million per year, and Raddysh got a one-year contract for $1 million.
Duhaime, whose father, Trevor, was selected by Washington in the ninth round of the 1991 draft, recorded 13 points in 80 regular season games with the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche last season; he was traded to the Avalanche in March for a third-round draft pick in 2026. Raddysh had 14 points in 73 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Both players will bring speed to Washington’s fourth line, which needed additional depth after Malenstyn was traded and Nicolas Aube-Kubel departed in free agency.
The Capitals also re-signed a trio of minor league players Monday: defenseman Chase Priskie, forward Ethen Frank and goaltender Mitchell Gibson. Priskie and Gibson both signed one-year, two-way deals, and Frank signed a two-year deal that is a one-way contract in the second year.
