The Washington Capitals just made a big move ahead of the draft, and it involves a familiar name from the trade rumor mill. Jordan Kyrou is headed to D.C.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Caps and St. Louis Blues agreed on a deal that sends the 25-year-old winger to Washington. The Blues had been shopping Kyrou around the trade deadline, but nothing materialized then. Now, right before the first round, they pulled the trigger.
Kyrou has five years left on his contract at $8.125 million per season. That’s a hefty cap hit, but he’s also a 26-goal scorer who can skate like hell and create offense. The Capitals are clearly trying to stay competitive while Alex Ovechkin chases the all-time goals record.
Here’s what the Blues get back: the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft, restricted free agent Connor McMichael, and prospect Milton Gastrin. That’s three assets for one player, and it gives St. Louis some serious draft capital.
Speaking of the draft, the Blues now own four picks in the first round Friday night. They’ve got their own at No. 11, the Detroit Red Wings’ pick at No. 15, the Capitals’ selection at No. 16, and the Colorado Avalanche’s pick at No. 29. That’s a lot of ammo for a team that’s clearly in some kind of retooling phase.
Why Now for a Kyrou Trade?
You have to wonder what changed. Kyrou wasn’t moved at the deadline, and the Blues didn’t seem desperate to dump him. But getting a first-round pick, a former first-round pick in McMichael (Washington’s 2019 first-rounder), and another prospect might’ve been too good to pass up. McMichael hasn’t quite broken out yet in D.C., but he’s still just 23 and could develop into a solid middle-six center.
For the Capitals, this feels like a win-now move. They’re not exactly a young team, and Kyrou fits the timeline if they’re trying to maximize Ovechkin’s remaining years. He’s 25, under contract for the long haul, and has proven he can produce at the NHL level. Last season he put up 67 points in 76 games, which isn’t elite but is solid. The Blues might regret this if he takes another step forward.
The draft is going to be interesting for St. Louis. Four first-round picks gives them flexibility to either stock the farm system or package picks to move up for a specific guy they love. General manager Doug Armstrong is playing the long game here.
No word yet on if Washington plans to make more moves before the draft or during free agency. But this one’s done, and it’s a headline-worthy swap.
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