Senators, Chychrun finding separate success after failed experiment in Ottawa

OTTAWA — Sometimes divorces end in happiness for both partners. That’s what happened with the Ottawa Senators and Jakob Chychrun, who are separately thriving this season.

When the Senators acquired Chychrun ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, it gave Senators fans a week of jubilation. Chychrun scored and was emotional in his home debut, with his grandfather (who’s from Ottawa) and sister in attendance as the Senators looked ready to push to make the playoffs.

Yeah … it didn’t go well after that.

The team failed to make the playoffs in Chychrun’s two seasons. The talented defenceman struggled to a minus-30 last season.

On Thursday night, Chychrun returned to Ottawa as a member of the Washington Capitals after being dealt for Nick Jensen and a third-round pick in July, and had the last laugh in Washington’s 1-0 overtime win.

Chychrun gave his best explanation as to what went wrong in Ottawa.

“I mean, I don’t know. I didn’t trade myself,” Chychrun, when asked about it by Sportsnet.ca. “I think a lot of people were talking about the fit. Obviously, they got the two, (Jake) Sanderson and (Thomas) Chabot, on the left side. And, I think, maybe the fit wasn’t as good as it is here (with the Capitals).”

Nailed it.

As Chychrun mentioned, it never made sense to have three top-four defencemen who play the left side. It only made sense for general manager Steve Staios to pick which one to go. With Sanderson and Chabot signed long-term, the only sensible conclusion was to let go of the underwhelming Chychrun.

This season, both Chychrun and Jensen are thriving in their new environments. On Thursday, Chychrun created a ton of chances, including in the slot. Meanwhile, for the Senators, Jensen played steadily with Tyler Kleven after Chabot left after taking a puck to the face.

Chychrun has been a monster for Washington, scoring 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points in 38 games while playing on the top pair with John Carlson. But don’t discount the return Ottawa got in Jensen, which at the time was deemed underwhelming. Jensen is a plus-15 and has been a stabilizer for Chabot. Jensen is not an offensive dynamo of the calibre of Chychrun; however, he is perfectly suited to be partnered with Chabot, letting Chabot be offensive without the worry of getting burned.

This pairing has allowed Chabot to have the best season of his career defensively, with a positive plus/minus (plus-10) for the first time, with sparkling underlying metrics.

Sens fans mostly cheered Chychrun in his return, which was better than “mixed reviews” Chychrun expected.

The Senators and Chychrun are better off without each other: Washington will be a top playoff seed and Ottawa is in contention for the playoffs. Win-win.

Leevi’s time

What a run for Leevi Merilainen. The Senators goalie didn’t allow a goal through regulation for the second straight game and almost earned his third shutout in his last four games. He was beaten by none other than Alexander Ovechkin in overtime. Regardless, he’s been Leevitating in goal: Playing four games over the last six days, he stopped 104 of 107 shots for a .972 save percentage and 3-0-1 record.

Even in defeat, Merilainen exuded a composure that he’s demonstrated in his short but impactful stint with the Senators, as he allowed only one goal on 27 shots against Washington. It’s been a long road for Merilainen to the NHL from a third-round pick in 2020. Just ask Senators’ goalie coach Justin Peters, who has worked with him since his time in Belleville.

“Mental makeup is huge,” said Peters. “You can see that Leevi is a calming influence, just in his body language in the crease. Every goalie has their own little quirks and little ways of doing things, and for him, it’s a very relaxing way.”

Peters believes the reason Merilainen has been launched out of a Viking-shaped cannon to begin his NHL career is simple.

“How he was able to develop, he wasn’t rushed into a scenario,” said Peters. “I think at the time that it was tough for him to go there. It just happened to be that we needed him to play games.”

Despite his pedigree, Merilainen started in the ECHL for the Allen Americans in Texas instead of playing in the AHL, but steadily made his way up with strong performances earning a promotion to Belleville over time.

How has Merilainen been developing?

“I would say, just the way he’s been able to learn to control his body.” said Peters. “He has really raw athleticism that you can’t really teach but I think, for him, trying to learn how to control that athleticism.”

Late in the third against the Caps he denied Ovechkin’s one-timer THREE times on a third-period power play, calmly batting the final one away.

Cool as it gets.

His recent hot stretch led Peters and head coach Travis Green to start him on back-to-back days. They decided, on the flight back home from Pittsburgh, to start Merilainen against Dallas after Merilainen’s shutout performance.

“We were just kind of going with the hot hand there,” Peters said.

His teammates notice how hot Merilainen is playing.

“His calmness, confidence, is pretty fun to watch,” Senators’ Shane Pinto told Sportsnet.ca. “And for him to be 22, I’ve never seen a goalie like that at 22, it’s pretty impressive.”

In overtime, Merilainen made a wonderful kick save on Tom Wilson on a breakaway, only to get serenaded with “Leevi” chants by the Ottawa fans.

After the game, Linus Ullmark went to dap up Merilainen as the two spoke in the locker room: A glimpse into the future of the Senators net for years to come.

Adams’ apples

Shoutout to Senators defenceman Donovan Sebrango, who made his NHL debut for his hometown team with his mom Kim emotional and watching.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Sebrango. “A single mom having to kind of teach me the ways of hockey and bringing me into the sport.

“Everything tonight was for her.”

Supporting Sebrango at the game were nine members of his family and 35 kids from CIH Academy in nearby Rockland, where he went to school. He made sure of one thing when he took his rookie lap.

“Don’t fall,” said Sebrango.

He was solid in replacing Chabot, made some smart, nifty plays with the puck, was physical and good in the corners including stopping Tom Wilson’s breakaway attempt in the third while playing against Ovechkin, his favourite player growing up. 

Call pest control on line 613: The line of Pinto, Nick Cousins and Ridly Greig has been effective since uniting against Detroit, contributing six points in its last four games. What unites the line is Greig’s and Cousins’ propensity for pestering. It showed itself on Thursday and earlier this week against Pittsburgh. As the first period ended, Wilson launched a late hit on Sanderson; immediately, both Greig and Cousins chased after Wilson to stop his tomfoolery. Later, Wilson and Greig chirped each other in the penalty box. The third member of the trio appreciates Greig’s and Cousins’ affinity for annoying opponents.

“If I see Cousins or Ridly being a rat, then I know they’re just going to do their thing and have some fun,” said Pinto.

Pinto said he feels he’s just along for the ride with Cousins and Greig.

“In the Pittsburgh game, Cousins was kind of everywhere,” said Pinto. “And then Ridly was like, to me on the bench. ‘I want to get out there for a scrum like I’m feeling it’… But, yeah, Cousins in Pittsburgh was a little nuts.”

Later, against Washington, the duo went after Pierre-Luc Dubois in the corner, causing a shoving match. Ottawa has become an annoying team to play against, in a good way.

More from Sportsnet

Ovechkin breaks record for most goalies scored on, beating Merilainen to reach 179

Ovechkin scores OT goal for Capitals in tight win over Senators