The Washington Capitals kicked off their major offseason moves with a splash on Tuesday, acquiring Jordan Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues in a trade for Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin, and the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Kyrou, who has spent his entire NHL career in St. Louis, had known for a few days that the Blues might make a deal, but a no-trade clause gave him ultimate control of his fate.
“It took me pretty much all day to make a decision,” he said in his first post-trade media availability on Wednesday. “I’ve been in St. Louis for eight years, ever since I got drafted, and I’ve had an amazing time there. It was definitely a tough decision, but I’m excited to be coming to Washington and have a fresh start here.”
Both the Capitals’ reputation and their strong interest in him swayed Kyrou to waive his NTC.
“I think they were really pushing for me, and it’s nice seeing a team really want me,” he said. “It just makes me excited to come join the organization. I’ve also heard just from a lot of friends that it’s a great city, a great organization, great fan base, a lot of history. I’m just excited to be coming.”
He later added, “They’ve got a lot going on on their team. They’ve got great [defensemen], a lot of skilled D. A lot of their forwards can score and make plays. I think I fit really well, and hopefully I can bring some speed to the lineup.”
Kyrou comes to Washington with something of a chip on his shoulder. After four straight seasons with sixty-plus points, he saw a decrease in production in 2025-26, ending the year with 46 points (18g, 28a) in 72 games.
“I think I’ve got a lot to prove and have a bounce back year this year,” he said.
The Capitals have found success in recent years with players looking to revitalize their careers. Center Pierre-Luc Dubois has become one of the team’s best players after a short but rocky stint with the Los Angeles Kings, while goaltender Logan Thompson went from struggling to gain a full-time starting role in Vegas to an outstanding first two years with the Caps.
While Kyrou said Wednesday that he wasn’t looking to get traded, he hoped the move could prove beneficial. He will also be fully healthy after undergoing a knee procedure in April.
“Sometimes, just people need a fresh start and a change of scenery,” he said.
Kyrou will reunite with some familiar faces when he hits the ice this fall, including former OHL teammate Jakob Chychrun. The pair spent two seasons together on the Sarnia Sting from 2014-16, with Kyrou taking over as alternate captain after Chychrun’s departure, and have already been in touch about the chance to share a team once again.
“I texted Chychy after (the trade) a little bit,” Kyrou said. “Obviously, he was pretty pumped. It’s been a while since we played together. It’s been like eight years now, I think. But back in Sarnia, we both got drafted together during the same year, and we both had our careers in Sarnia. So it was nice playing with him there, and it’d be exciting to be his teammate again. He’s a heck of a player and a great person, so I’m excited to see him again.”
Besides Chychrun, Kyrou is acquainted with Dubois, Dylan Strome, and Anthony Beauvillier, and he shares a summer training group with Tom Wilson, working under Matt Nichol in Toronto. Kyrou told reporters he was especially glad to have Wilson as a teammate — and not an opponent — for the foreseeable future.
“It’s not fun playing against him,” Kyrou said of Wilson. “He’s a big body. He can also put the puck in the net as well. So it’ll be fun to be on his side this time and not against him.”
And though Alex Ovechkin has yet to announce his plans for next season, Kyrou would relish the chance to share the ice with the future Hall of Famer.
“Obviously that’d be unbelievable,” he said. “I mean, he’s the greatest goal scorer of all time, and [I’ve] heard nothing but great things about him. Hopefully, he comes back for a year, and I get to meet him and play with him.”
Kyrou plans to travel to DC within the next few weeks to see the city and start house hunting, but his emotions were still fresh on Wednesday. Speaking to the media less than 24 hours after the trade announcement, Kyrou admitted the news hadn’t fully sunk in.
“I don’t think it’s digested yet, to be honest,” he said. “I’m still just a whirlwind of emotions.”
Even so, Kyrou stood by his decision, ready to leave the only NHL team he’s ever known to seek a new start in Washington.
“Going to a brand new city, brand new team, it’s a little nerve-wracking,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s a new chapter, and I’m just excited to have this new step in life.”
