The most popular name among recent NHL trade rumors is Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, and according to the latest reports, there are several teams interested in him.
The Coyotes have the worst record in the league and are in the midst of a full rebuild. Trading a player like Chychrun could speed up that rebuild by infusing prospects and even more draft picks into the Coyotes' cupboard.
So, what would it cost to acquire Chychrun before the March 21 trade deadline? Well, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, quite a lot.
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"There's been much speculation on Chychrun's availability for the last several weeks, but it's real," Dreger said on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading". "Who's to say when a deal involving Chychrun may happen, perhaps it doesn't happen. He has a wonderful contract -- this year, plus three more at a $4.6 million (salary cap hit).
"But calls are coming in from interested teams, offers are being made. The asking price is expectedly enormous, and it has scared some of these general managers away. You're talking about a (Jack) Eichel-like return here. That's Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a condition first-round pick and a conditional second-round pick. That's too much for a lot of teams to stomach right now ... the Coyotes are in no rush to move Jakob Chychrun."
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The Coyotes defenseman is an excellent player and would fill a huge need on Boston's blue line with his offensive talent, ability to play 23-plus minutes per game and be a positive contributor on special teams. Chychrun is the kind of top-four defenseman the Bruins desperately need to acquire if they're going to be a true Stanley Cup contender this season and next.
That said, the Eichel-like package is too step of a price and the Bruins should not pay it.
For reference, an Eichel-like package for the Bruins might consist of top prospect Fabian Lysell, Brandon Carlo or Jake DeBrusk, plus first- and second-round draft picks. There are other combinations, but this hypothetical package would be comparable to what the Vegas Golden Knights sent the Buffalo Sabres for Eichel back in November.
The Bruins should either wait until the price for Chychrun goes down or turn their attention to another player.