The Columbus Blue Jackets had an impressive showing last season, with a lot of the hope for the future resting on some of their younger players making an impact in the lineup. Some of that hope stems from the trio of Russian-born players who have started to take the team by storm: Dmitri Voronkov, Kirill Marchenko, and Yegor Chinakhov.
They are all 24 years old and primed to be valuable offensive contributors for the Blue Jackets. It isn't easy to get players to stay in a market like Columbus, but Russian players sometimes prefer the freedom of that kind of location, and it seemed like the Blue Jackets had a bright future with these players.
However, reports started circulating on Thursday morning that Chinakhov is starting to become unhappy with the organization and might be looking for a fresh start. It's a bit of a shock to the system for the Blue Jackets, but his threat of returning to the KHL will likely push them to make a deal.
Yegor Chinakhov's fit with Bruins
Chinakhov is an interesting forward for the Boston Bruins. He was a reach for the Blue Jackets in the 2020 draft as a relative unknown out of Russia, but he was part of the Blue Jackets full-time by 2021-22. He had just 14 points in 62 games, but other than a couple of rehab stints in the American Hockey League, his NHL career has been on an upward trajectory.
Chinakhov had 15 points in 30 games last season, playing in over 15 minutes per game. However, his kryptonite has been staying healthy, and after a back injury last year, he was unable to get back into the lineup as often as he would've liked.
Don Waddell points to the healthy scratches as a reason for the unhappiness of Chinakhov, but it seems like there is more to the story. It's unlikely that an agent would release a statement on social media about a trade request for just a couple healthy scratches.
The Bruins are in desperate need of some scoring help, and they might be able to land Chinakhov on a bargain. His career-high is 29 points in 53 games, but if he can stay healthy and play a full season, his point-per-game averages over the past two years show a possible 40-point player.
There is also some familiarity for Chinakhov with Sean Kuraly and Andrew Peeke being part of the lineup. The injuries are a concern for the forward, but if Waddell gets desperate to move him then Don Sweeney should explore getting him at a bargain.
The argument against it is that the Bruins already have enough depth pieces. However, much like Matej Blumel, Chinakhov could surprise some people and earn a more significant role in the lineup.
