While Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov only recently formally requested a trade, tensions between him and the organization have been building for some time, reports The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline.
As Portzline outlines, discontent between Chinakhov and Columbus has been evident for years, noting that early in the 2023-24 season, Babaev told The Columbus Dispatch that Chinakhov, “doesn’t feel the (Blue Jackets) trust him, and he wants to leave.” Then last season, Chinakhov struggled with a back injury and later told reporters that he and the team disagreed on the best course of treatment. This ultimately led to Chinakhov traveling to Russia during the 4 Nations Face-Off break to have a procedure that wasn’t an approved treatment in North America, Portzline reports. And while Chinakhov averaged a career-high 15:43 of ice time per game last season, he became a frequent healthy scratch at the tail end of the campaign, sitting out 12 of the Jackets’ final 13 games.
This all resulted in Chinakhov and Babaev making official trade demands this week, with Chinakhov speaking to Russian outlet Sport-Express, and Babaev posting on X and speaking with The Athletic. While his back injury (and healthy scratches) led to just 30 games played last season, Chinakhov has stated this offseason that he is 100 percent healthy. In 175 career NHL games, the 24-year-old former first-round pick has recorded 34 goals and 71 points and could offer another franchise a quality depth scoring option.
Portzline adds that the Blue Jackets expect Chinakhov to report to training camp if a trade does not materialize, and Chinakhov has stated he expects to honor his contract, which comes with a $2.1MM AAV. Given Chinakhov’s stated desire for top-six minutes and the Blue Jackets’ need for scoring, Portzline notes the irony in the two sides being unable to find common ground.
In other news around the league:
- Former first-round selection defenseman Joe Morrow has signed a one-year deal with Unia Oswiecim of the Polska Hokej Liga (PHL) in Poland, per Seth Rorabaugh of Trib Live. Morrow, 32, was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins 23rd overall in the 2011 draft. He was then traded in 2013 to the Boston Bruins in a deal that brought veteran forward Brenden Morrow (no relation) back to the Penguins. Morrow would go on to suit up in 162 career NHL games across five seasons for the Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, and Montreal Canadiens. He also appeared in 174 AHL games over his career. Following the 2019-20 season, Morrow headed overseas and has appeared in the KHL and spent the last two years in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EHIL) in the United Kingdom.
- Former NHL forward Matt Cooke, a veteran of more than 1,000 career games, was hired as head coach and general manager of the Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League, Rorabaugh reports. Vernon plays in the junior “A” league, the second-highest tier of Canada’s junior hockey. As Rorabaugh outlines, Cooke has coached at various levels since his retirement in 2015, including stints including a stint as head coach of the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers. Over 14 NHL seasons, Cooke, who was known for playing on the edge, recorded 398 points and 1,135 penalty minutes. He won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, playing a key role on the team’s third line alongside Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy.
Joe Morrow looked like he could win Norris Trophys during his first training camp with the Pens.
Looked like Paul Martin except he could hit and shoot. So talented.
Don’t know what happened. Rumors were he was arrogant and uncoachable. If true, that obviously did not work out well for him.
One good training camp does not make an NHL defenceman. Remember Max Lajoie his first 20 games he was lighting it up then just fell off the map. I personally never seen this “Norris” calibre play from Morrow. But if he’s uncoachable then he sealed his own fate. My buddy played triple a with him in Strathcona.
No. Morrow was a camp wonder. And I have no idea if that’s true, but I believe it because the talent was there, for sure.
Olli Maatta was a camp star too, but played well early in his career until he lost his way, cancer hit him, etc.
The other young D man who once looked AWESOME in training camp…Paul Bissionette.
Biz was drafted as a decent skating stay at home D man. He was great in his first camp. Was one of the final cuts. We thought we had a future top six piece in him. Were very confused two years later when he found out he was now a forward and a goon in the AHL.
I’m surprised about Bissionette. Very interesting he looked like a high calibre d prospect only to change to forward and drop the gloves almost exclusively.
Maybe he just had the best two weeks of his life. I did not and still don’t know anything about his junior career, maybe he was always a goon. But for that camp, he looked more like Brian Dumoulin than Stu Grimson.
I’d like to see the kraken put together an offer for Chinakhov. Dunno what it would be cause I have no clue what they’re doing, but it’s been pointed out recently that the newest team has the 11th-oldest roster in the league. Problem is, there are so many lefties on the kraken already. As much as I love Eeli Tolvanen, maybe him, or same with Jaden Schwartz – really like the guy: great presence and great player which is good for CBJ, and the kraken get a little extra money to maybe look for a bigger fish next season. I dunno.
Is there any rumors on what Columbus would accept in order to deal Chinakov?