Jakob Chychrun
A smooth-skating defenseman whose powerful shot and steady presence have made him a cornerstone on NHL blue lines since his teenage debut.
Born 1998 (age 28)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: March 31·Generation Z
Biography
Born in Boca Raton, Florida to a former NHL player, Jakob Chychrun's path to professional hockey was almost preordained. He bypassed U.S. college hockey for the Ontario Hockey League, where his mature two-way game quickly made him a top prospect. Drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, he made the jump directly to the NHL as an 18-year-old, a rarity for defensemen. His tenure in Arizona established him as a durable, minute-munching defender known for a cannonading point shot. A significant trade sent him to the Ottawa Senators, where he continued his role as a top-pairing anchor before moving to the Washington Capitals. Chychrun's career is a study in steady, high-level performance, blending physicality with offensive instincts from the back end.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Jakob was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jakob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Jakob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected 16th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
- Made his NHL debut at age 18 and played 68 games in his rookie 2016-17 season.
- Recorded a career-high 41 points (7 goals, 34 assists) in the 2021-22 season with the Arizona Coyotes.
- Traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2023 in a major three-team deal involving multiple draft picks.
Did You Know?
He holds dual Canadian and American citizenship.
His father, Jeff Chychrun, played 262 games in the NHL as a defenseman.
He was named the OHL's Rookie of the Year for the 2014-15 season with the Sarnia Sting.
He underwent knee surgery twice before he was 21 years old.
“I try to model my game after players who do everything well.”
