Report: One team drops out of Chychrun negotiations as trade nears completion

In case you missed it this past weekend, the Arizona Coyotes made headlines around the NHL when they announced that they would scratch defenseman Jakob Chychrun for their game against the St. Louis Blues for what they called "trade related reasons."

The Coyotes dropped that game to the Blues, but that was hardly the story on Saturday evening. The bigger news was that the Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings were reportedly close to a deal for Chychrun, but that they couldn't quite come to terms. In the nearly 48 hours now that have passed, insiders around the hockey world have been trying to piece together the particulars of a deal, but still nothing has been announced. The Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs have all also reportedly been in on Chychrun negotiations, but just yesterday Senators insider Bruce Garrioch reported that the Sens have dropped out of trade talks citing too high of an asking price.

From Garrioch:

- Bruce Garrioch

Interestingly enough though the Coyotes DID make an announcement yesterday concerning Chychrun and it's that he won't suit up again for the team. Head coach Andre Tourigny told the assembled media today that Chychrun will remain a healthy scratch for the team until "until something happens."

Check it out:

So that sounds to me like Chychrun is officially done with the Coyotes and won't suit up again in the NHL until he's on a new team. It's a smart move by the Coyotes, even if it's a bit unorthodox. After all, I'm sure Chychrun is itching to get out there and prove to teams that he's worth whatever asking price the Coyotes have for him. Then again, he's struggled with injuries for the majority of his young career, so again I understand why the team is unwilling to take any risks. After all, he's their number one trade chip and GM Bill Armstrong can't afford to waste the opportunity that Chychrun provides heading into the trade deadline.

So... we wait.

It's clear that Chychrun has his suitors, whether it's the Kings or others, so it seems like it's only a matter of time until he gets back onto NHL ice. Personally, I think that LA would be a great fit, but there are rumors that he could be heading to a Canadian market like Toronto or Edmonton.

Again... we wait.