The NHL offseason has heated up in a big way.
And one team in the Eastern Conference hopes it has found the missing piece to the puzzle.
The Capitals on Tuesday acquired forward Jordan Kyrou in a trade with the Blues in exchange for forwards Connor McMichael and Milton Gastrin and a 2026 first-round pick (No. 16).
Kyrou, 28, broke through during the 2021-22 season with a career-high 75 points — and an All-Star Game appearance — before recording three straight seasons of 30-plus goals, leading the team in scoring each year.
However, his production dipped this past season with just 18 goals and 28 assists for his lowest point total (46) since his third year in the NHL.
The Capitals, who finished with 95 points and missed the playoffs this year, made clear they are thrilled to acquire a player of Kyrou’s goal-scoring and offensive ability.
“Jordan is an exceptionally talented and dynamic offensive player who will make an immediate impact on our club,” general manager Chris Patrick said in a statement. “His skill, creativity, and ability to generate offense at an elite level will be a tremendous addition to our group. At just 28 years old and under contract for the next five seasons, Jordan is entering the prime years of his career. We believe he is an ideal fit for our team both now and for the long term.”
Kyrou signed an eight-year extension worth $65 million before the 2022-23 season, so he’s under contract through the 2030-31 campaign, in theory giving Washington a top-flight forward for years to come.
In McMichael, the Capitals lose their 2019 first-round pick, who, ironically enough, finished with 46 points last season. Gastrin, a center from Sweden, was a second-round pick last year and has yet to make his NHL debut.
