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Yegor Chinakhov

Evening Notes: Chinakhov, Douglas, Canucks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t begin their season until Thursday, but Yegor Chinakhov is already officially out of the lineup, as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic confirmed from Head Coach Dean Evason.

It has been a tumultuous last few months for the once-heralded Columbus prospect. After requesting a trade back in July, the Russian apparently changed his mind in September, saying he was open to staying with the Jackets, having seemingly worked through his differences with Evason. 

Then, recently, Chinakhov voiced his displeasure with his role in camp, and finally, he fired his agent last Sunday. With all of those affairs out of the way, the latest development is that the 24-year-old will not appear on Thursday in the team’s opener vs. Nashville. Portzline noted that Evason apparently met with his player to make sure they were in agreement on the role, but given all the back and forth, it is not a good sign for Chinakhov’s future in Columbus. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Benjamin Pierce, Tampa Bay’s beat writer, shared the unlikely story of Curtis Douglas as he finds himself, somewhat surprisingly, on the Bolts’ roster to start 2025-26. Originally drafted by Dallas 106th overall in 2018, Douglas has spent the past 5 seasons grinding away in the AHL, not exactly filling the nets, but standing out at 6’9”, 242 lbs. As the game has evolved into the 2020s, gone are the days of pure enforcers running around, however, many teams feature such hulk-sized forwards in their bottom six to drive to the net and mix it up when needed. Tampa figures to have their own version in Douglas, who was claimed on waivers two days ago. The 25-year-old Ontario native will hope to make his long-awaited NHL debut tomorrow against Ottawa. 
  • As the Vancouver Canucks open their season tomorrow against Calgary, Ben Kuzma of The Province wrote today of the team’s optimism as a playoff team in 2025-26. The Canucks are one of several promising teams who underachieved last season, and are now looking to turn the page. Given the issues behind the scenes seemingly behind with the departure of star J.T. Miller, and a fresh voice with Adam Foote moving up to Head Coach, the table is set for the Canucks to reach their potential. As outlined by Kuzma, they returned a largely similar roster, bringing in standout Evander Kane to boot, as well as youngster Jonathan Lekkerimaki facing pressure to make a larger impact. The Canucks’ disappointment last year was rewarded with the freshly-drafted Braeden Cootes, who has made a strong impression to make the team. Somewhat surprisingly given their roster, Vancouver struggled offensively last season, but Foote will look to revitalize the group as they set their sights on a return to the playoffs next spring. 

Metro Notes: Chinakhov, Capitals, Brunicke, Kindel

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Yegor Chinakhov was vocal in his disapproval of head coach Dean Evason’s deployment of him earlier this preseason, and now it appears Chinakhov’s disapproval has extended to the player’s off-ice situation. According to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, Chinakhov has fired his longtime agent, Shumi Babaev and hired Rick Komarow of Maverick Sports Management. Portzline noted that Komarow is the agent of Chinakhov’s teammate and fellow Russian Dmitry Voronkov, and also represents four other Russians on NHL contracts: Pavel Dorofeyev, Danila Yurov, Sergei Murashov, and Nikita Novikov.

Whether this change in representation will include a retraction of Chinakhov’s offseason trade request is unclear, though the core reasoning behind the trade request (Chinakhov’s lack of ice time under coach Evason) has not changed. Per Portzline, Chinakhov spent most of the last week of practice “skating as the extra forward” and therefore appears to be unlikely to have a lineup spot for the team’s season-opening game against the Nashville Predators. The 2020 first-round pick scored a career-high 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games under former coach Pascal Vincent in 2023-24, but saw his ice time decline under Evason. It’s worth noting that the Blue Jackets’ fortunes as a team have improved markedly since Evason’s hire, meaning there is unlikely to be much organizational pressure for Evason’s apparent stance on the player to change, making an eventual trade appear to be, at this point, potentially the most suitable outcome for all parties involved. It remains to be seen whether Chinakhov’s swap in representation changes things.

More notes from the Metropolitan Division:

  • The Washington Capitals defensemen Matt Roy and Dylan McIlrath suffered injuries, head coach Spencer Carbery said yesterday. (via NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti) According to Carbery, the pair of blueliners is not believed to have suffered “super significant” or long-term injuries, though their ailments (upper-body for Roy, lower-body for McIlrath) could keep them out for a week or two. The two players are still being evaluated, but should they end up missing a week or two of the season, Washington would need to find a player to fill Roy’s second-pairing slot in the meantime – 25-year-old Declan Chisholm, who has some experience playing the right side, appears the likeliest candidate.
  • The Athletic’s Josh Yohe wrote yesterday that the Pittsburgh Penguins’ bevy of roster moves indicates that teenagers Benjamin Kindel and Harrison Brunicke are set to make the team’s season-opening NHL roster. While a potential waiver claim could change things, it does appear as things stand that the pair of top Penguins prospects will make their NHL debuts on Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers. As Brunicke’s brilliance this preseason has been covered extensively, the bigger surprise is Kindel, the team’s top pick from the 2025 draft. It now appears as though the Penguins will get the chance to see how Kindel’s game holds up against the physicality of NHL regular-season competition, though it remains unlikely he’ll remain on the team’s roster for the full season. A handful of games before being reassigned to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen remains the likeliest outcome here, which would still, of course, be a valuable and positive step in Kindel’s development.

Evening Notes: Chinakhov, Oilers, Golden Knights, Stevenson

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Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that Yegor Chinakhov has not been happy with his role of late. The tantalizing 24-year-old has been skating on the Jackets’ fourth line, with no attention on the power play either. When asked about the role, Chinakhov said, “No comment.” 

Portzline also mentioned Head Coach Dean Evason’s thoughts on the situation. The Jackets’ bench boss complimented the Russian forward’s play, but emphasized the team’s forward depth. 

The remark is interesting, considering that Chinakhov requested a trade over the summer, only to backtrack just 10 days ago, saying he had reached an understanding with Evason and was open to staying with the Blue Jackets. 

Columbus’ first-round choice in 2020 (21st overall), Chinakhov has flashed his high skill, lighting up the AHL in short stints, but has yet to put everything together in the NHL. The emergence of other forwards such as Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko has had Chinakhov on the outside looking in. It appears the former top prospect is at a crossroads that many have found themselves at: accepting a lesser role for the greater good to stick in the NHL, or finding a home elsewhere. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • In Edmonton, Tony Brar of Oilers TV reported that Jake Walman, who has had rumblings of an extension lately, is day-to-day, but is expected to be ready for opening night. Vasily Podkolzin is expected to resume skating on Wednesday, after the tragic loss of his father.
  • SinBin.vegas noted that two Golden Knights, Pavel Dorofeyev and Jeremy Lauzon, are both progressing, per Head Coach Bruce Cassidy. They will remain sidelined tomorrow and are questionable for the Knights’ remaining preseason games. Dorofeyev was an 82-game player last year, breaking out with an eye-popping 35 goals, while Lauzon only notched 28 games in Nashville due to injury, before an offseason trade to Vegas.
  • Having been mentioned by Kevin Weekes last week, Elliotte Friedman echoed that the Capitals will likely lose goaltender Clay Stevenson on waivers, as reported by Russian Machine Never Breaks. The undrafted 26-year-old has yet to make a sizeable NHL impact (just one game played) but has caught the eye of many clubs, and could be the latest under-the-radar goaltender to burst onto the scene. Interestingly, Friedman noted the Rangers as a possible suitor, saying they pursued the Alberta native as a college free agent before the Capitals won out. Such a claim would especially be a blow to the marquee AHL franchise, the Hershey Bears. With Weekes pointing it out and Friedman following suit, Stevenson will be a name to watch closely.

Yegor Chinakhov Open To Staying With Blue Jackets

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Two months after requesting a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, it appears forward Yegor Chinakhov is changing his tune. According to Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers, after yesterday’s practice, Chinakhov stated he was open to staying in Columbus after coming to an understanding with head coach Dean Evason.

Although Chinakhov and his representation haven’t formally stated that they’ve rescinded his trade request, it’s quite literally the opposite of what he said in mid-July. Announcing his trade request, Chinakhov said, “I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here.”

Though he never elaborated on the misunderstandings, PHR’s Josh Erickson wrote at the time, “[B]ut his usage down the stretch likely has a lot to do with it. Chinakhov averaged a career-high 15:43 of ice time per game last season but became a frequent healthy scratch at the tail end of the campaign, sitting out 12 of the Jackets’ final 13 games.”

There’s no question the former first-round pick hasn’t lived up to expectations in Columbus yet. Since becoming a regular player for the team in the 2021-22 campaign, Chinakhov has recorded 34 goals and 71 points in 175 games in a Blue Jackets sweater, maxing out with a 16-goal, 29-point campaign in 2023-24.

Unless his play on the defensive side of the puck shows improvement, Chinakhov is best utilized in a top-six role, with linemates having the ability to carry a line. Unfortunately for him, after the addition of Charlie Coyle and with Boone Jenner being healthy to start the year on time, it’s not clear Chinakhov will have that opportunity out of the gate.

Clearly, as Chinakhov stated yesterday, he and Evason have arranged a palatable compromise. Whether his lack of ice time in even-strength play is offset by additional time on the power play, or Chinakhov dialing back his own expectations, it appears that he’ll start the year in a Blue Jackets uniform.

East Notes: Chinakhov, Peeke, Bear

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While Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov has already returned to Columbus in advance of training camp, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (subscription link) that his trade request hasn’t been rescinded.  The 24-year-old started strong with 14 points in 21 games but then suffered a back injury that kept him out for several months while undergoing a treatment back in Russia that the team didn’t approve of.  Then, upon returning, his ice time was more limited while also being a healthy scratch multiple times, resulting in just one assist in his final nine appearances.  Chinakhov has one year left on his bridge contract worth $2.1MM and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see a team looking to make a change-of-scenery type of trade showing interest in Chinakhov in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke played a fairly big role in the second half of last season, logging nearly 21 minutes a night when their back end dealt with some major injuries. While he fared relatively well in those extra minutes, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that the team hasn’t initiated contract extension talks yet and could wait until later in the season when they have a better sense of where they stand.  Peeke was brought in at the 2024 trade deadline from Columbus and has largely been a fourth or fifth defender in Boston.  He has one year left on his contract with a $2.75MM cap charge and should be able to get a bump up on that on his next deal.
  • The Red Wings announced (Twitter link) that prospect Carter Bear will not take part in their rookie games but is expected to be ready for training camp. Detroit picked the forward 13th overall back in June following a strong season with WHL Everett that saw him score 40 goals and add 42 assists in just 56 games.  However, he sustained a torn Achilles tendon in early March and it appears that Detroit isn’t going to chance it with the injury and will hold him out this weekend as a precaution.

Metropolitan Notes: Mantha, Chinakhov, Martone

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While the Penguins are known to be selling, they did make an intriguing addition in free agency earlier this month as they signed winger Anthony Mantha to a one-year, $2.5MM contract with another $2MM in bonuses tied to games played.  Speaking with reporters yesterday including Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the 30-year-old indicated that he has fully recovered from the torn ACL that ended his 2024-25 campaign after just 13 games.  Mantha also noted that Pittsburgh showed interest in him last summer but he ultimately signed a one-year, $3.5MM pact with Calgary.  With 303 points in 507 career NHL games, Mantha, if healthy, could be an intriguing piece for the Penguins next season, both as a player and a potential trade candidate.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • For the second straight summer, the Blue Jackets are dealing with a public trade request. While there wasn’t much of a market for Patrik Laine a year ago, Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch opines that this shouldn’t be the case this time around when it comes to winger Yegor Chinakhov, who made his request public last week.  With Chinakhov making a much more affordable $2.1MM (compared to Laine’s $8.7MM) and being on the final year of his contract, he should have a decent market, one that should allow Columbus to land an NHL-proven piece coming the other way.
  • After committing to play for Michigan State yesterday, Flyers prospect Porter Martone will not be attending training camp in the fall, GM Daniel Briere acknowledged to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic (subscription link). Martone was the sixth overall selection in the draft last month but decided the best thing for his development would be to go to college, a decision he kept Philadelphia informed about along the way.  Martone could theoretically still make his NHL debut next season as he’d be a potential candidate to sign once his season with the Spartans comes to an end.

League Notes: Chinakhov, Morrow, Cooke

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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.

Blue Jackets’ Yegor Chinakhov Requests Trade

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Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade out of Columbus, his agent, Shumi Babaev, relayed Thursday in an X post. General manager Don Waddell told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic that he’s aware of the request and has already begun trade talks.

“I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season,” Chinakhov said. “Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here.”

Waddell told Portzline that he’ll only move Chinakhov if he sees fair value in a trade; he won’t dump the young winger for a minimal return just because he wants out. If that offer doesn’t materialize by training camp, Waddell still expects Chinakhov to report to the club but will presumably continue trying to find a new home for him.

It’s not particularly clear what those misunderstandings with head coach Dean Evason were, but his usage down the stretch likely has a lot to do with it. Chinakhov averaged a career-high 15:43 of ice time per game last season but became a frequent healthy scratch at the tail end of the campaign, sitting out 12 of the Jackets’ final 13 games.

That, combined with missing three months due to back problems, limited the 24-year-old to 30 appearances. He scored seven goals and eight assists for 15 points, seeing his points per game output drop from 0.55 in 2023-24 to 0.50 last year.

Injuries have been a consistent factor for Chinakhov since making the jump to North America, stunting the 2020 surprise first-round selection’s development. He’s still put up respectable averages of 16 goals and 33 points per 82 games in his four NHL seasons, including a 44-point pace over the last two years.

He’s certainly an everyday NHL player. Still, with his production pace topping off at that level at this point in his development, combined with his injury history, things don’t bode well for the Jackets to recoup the first-round value they invested in Chinakhov five years ago in a trade.

They should still be able to command a decent return, whether that’s a package of mid-value picks and prospects or a player-for-player swap to take a change of scenery candidate back the other way. If the latter ends up being the route Waddell pursues, the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks could be speculative partners with young forwards Nicholas Robertson and Lukas Reichel available.

Image courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images.

Blue Jackets Activate Yegor Chinakhov

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10:21 a.m.: The corresponding move for Chinakhov’s activation is an IR placement for Cole Sillinger, the team announced. General manager Don Waddell said late last week that the center is week-to-week with a shoulder injury.

9:58 a.m.: Columbus Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov is back to full health and set to be activated off of long-term injured reserve, head coach Dean Evason confirmed to NHL.com’s Jeff Svoboda. Chinakhov has missed Columbus’ last 39 games with a back injury. It is believed to be the same injury that held Chinakhov out of 17 games at the end of last season and caused him discomfort during the team’s training camp. Chinakhov has since seen at least six different doctors about the injury, including one in Russia, and underwent a minor arthroscopic procedure per Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch. Now with 22 games left on the schedule, Chinakhov will get his shot to shed the nagging injury.

Chinakhov, 24, had a hot start to the season before he had to step aside. He scored 14 points, split evenly, through the first 21 games of the year and earned his way into hardy top-six minutes. That put him on pace for 55 points across a full 82 games, which would have shattered the career-high 29 points he scored in 53 games last year. He broke into the NHL very young and showed signs of serious growing pains before he found his footing in Columbus’ lineup. But Chinakhov is there now, posting improved scoring in each of the last three seasons despite dealing with this nagging back injury in the latter two. Columbus has posted an outstanding 4-0 record and 21-to-10 goal differential since returning from the 4-Nations Face-Off break. That standing should let them ease Chinakhov back into his roster spot while they continue their pursuit of a playoff bid.

The Blue Jackets will need to make a roster move to open space for Chinakhov’s return. That move will likely be sending forward Mikael Pyyhtia back to the minor leagues, with Svoboda confirming he’ll be out of the lineup on Tuesday night. Columbus used an emergency recall on Pyyhtia on February 28th, after assigning him to the minors earlier in the month. He played in 12 minutes of Columbus’ Saturday night win over Detroit, but didn’t manage any scoring. Pyyhtia has recorded seven points in 47 NHL games and six points in 10 AHL games on the season.

Blue Jackets Notes: Fabbro, Johnson, Chinakhov, Greaves

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The Columbus Blue Jackets received a series of injury and roster updates on Wednesday, headlined by an update on defenseman Dante Fabbro’s injury. Fabbro left Columbus’ Tuesday loss to Tampa Bay in the second period, after receiving a scary knee-to-knee hit from Lightning rookie Conor Geekie. But Fabbro has avoided the worst possible outcome, nursing more of a charley horse than a bad knee injury per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. Fabbro was not available for Columbus’ optional Wednesday practice.

Fabbro will be working to maintain his hot streak in Columbus if he does play. He has seven points, 16 penalty minutes, and a +11 in 18 games since the Blue Jackets claimed him off waivers in November. It’s been a 180-degree turnaround from his start to the season with Nashville, which saw Fabbro record no scoring, no penalties, and a -3 through six games. The 2016 17th-overall pick has been a fixture of the Predators’ lineup since turning pro at the end of the 2018-19 season, establishing a confident role on the team’s second pair. But he never seemed to favor either zone, with low-scoring totals complemented by negative plus-minuses and poor advanced stats. He ultimately totaled just 72 points in 315 games, and seven seasons, with the Predators. 24 points in 66 games of the 2021-22 campaign stand as his career-high in scoring. But Fabbro could surpass that mark this year, with his hot start in Columbus putting him on pace for 26 points – even despite no scoring in Nashville. That pace would require he play in all 50 games remaining on the Blue Jackets’ schedule, though – a mission that will start by returning from this lower-body injury.

Other notes out of Ohio:

  • Veteran defenseman Jack Johnson will join Fabbro as questionable for Wednesday night’s game per Portzline. Johnson took a stick to the eye in Sunday’s match against Carolina and is scheduled to see an eye doctor in Columbus on Wednesday. He has rotated out of Columbus third pairing, averaging 13:32 in ice time and recording just one assist in 18 games this season. With both Fabbro and Johnson both questionable, Portzline adds that Columbus is likely to recall a defenseman from the minors ahead of Thursday’s game. That could be the opportunity for top prospects Denton Mateychuk or Stanislav Svozil to earn their jump to the top flight. Mateychuk has 23 points in 25 AHL games this season, while Svozil has 13 in 22 games.
  • Forward Yegor Chinakhov was on the ice for Wednesday’s optional skate shares NHL.com’s Jeff Svoboda. It’s Chinakhov’s first time skating since suffering an upper-body injury on November 27th. He has since missed Columbus’ last 11 games and was placed on injured reserve on December 11th. Chinakhov is having a strong year outside of the injuries, with 14 points – split evenly – through 21 games this season. He ranks in the top five of scoring among Blue Jackets forwards, despite averaging the least amount of ice time of anyone above him. Chinakhov is also hitting more and blocking more shots, with his 2024-25 numbers (32 hits, 10 blocks) already narrowing in on his totals from 53 games of 2023-24 (43 hits, 28 blocks). He’ll quickly slot back into Columbus’ middle-six when he returns to full health – a path that started with a return to the ice today.
  • Finally, Columbus has loaned goaltender Jet Greaves back to the AHL. Greaves was recalled on December 11th and stepped into three games, but posted a measly 0-1-2 record and .895 save percentage. He’ll now return to the minors, where he’s already managed an 8-4-2 record and .902 save percentage in 15 appearances. Greaves’ assignment will leave Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov as the sole pair in Columbus’ goaltending room.

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