News broke Thursday morning that Yegor Chinakhov has requested a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The request was made public in a post on X (formerly Twitter) by his agent Shumi Babaev, later confirmed by general manager (GM) Don Waddell in a conversation with Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
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In the post, Babaev quoted Chinakhov directly:
“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.”
Chinakhov is still expected to report to training camp if a good offer isn’t made by then, Waddell told Portzline of The Athletic (From ‘Yegor Chinakhov requests trade from Blue Jackets, cites ‘misunderstandings’ with coach Dean Evason’ – The Athletic, 7/17/2025). He signed a two-year, $4.2 million extension on June 21, 2024, carrying a $2.1 million annual average value through 2025-26, and will be a restricted free agent (RFA) at the end of the deal.
Injuries have been a recurring issue for Chinakhov. He was limited to just 30 games this past season, missing 39 due to a back issue that came with multiple setbacks. He returned in March and played nine games down the stretch, but was ultimately scratched late in the season, a common theme in his time in Columbus.
He’s had injury problems in every season since debuting in the NHL, which has made it hard for him to find any kind of rhythm.
When healthy, Chinakhov does bring some value. He’s got a heavy shot and could maybe work on a second power-play unit with his dangerous one-timer. But for a first-round pick in 2020, the overall returns have been underwhelming. He’s struggled to produce consistent offense and hasn’t made strides in his two-way game, struggling plenty on the back-check.
At this point, a fresh start feels like the best option for everyone involved. Still, don’t rule out Chinakhov staying in Columbus if the trade market doesn’t meet Waddell’s liking. This won’t be a giveaway deal; it’ll have to be the right match, or Columbus may just keep him for now. That’s going to make for an interesting storyline heading into training camp.
Now, here are three trade candidates that could make sense:
Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Nicholas Robertson is one of the many names being floated around, and it actually makes a lot of sense for both sides.
The Maple Leafs still have about $2.08 million in cap space with the recent Dakota Joshua acquisition, and could take a shot on Chinakhov, who clearly wants out and still has some potential. He’s got a legitimate NHL shot and maybe some power-play value. If he can stay healthy, there’s upside there.
Robertson’s in a similar boat. He’s shown flashes, has a strong release like Chinakhov, but just hasn’t been able to fully break through in Toronto. He’s had injury trouble in the past and hasn’t consistently stuck in their top nine. However, he’s been healthy since the 2023-24 season, unlike Chinakhov.
Over the last two seasons, Robertson put up 27 points in 56 games in 2023–24 and followed that with 22 points in 69 games in 2024–25. Those are not huge numbers, but decent depth scoring. He added two points in three playoff games this past spring, too, which is valuable experience for Columbus, a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020. He has skill, but he just hasn’t had a full opportunity yet at the NHL level.
In Columbus, Robertson could land on the fourth line to start, but there’s room to climb the lineup. He fits the age group and would probably get more leash than he has in Toronto.
From Columbus’s side, Waddell might want a little more than just Robertson, especially with Chinakhov showing some top-nine potential when healthy. A third or fourth-round pick or prospect also going Columbus’s way could even things out.
It’s not a flashy trade, but it’s a realistic one. Two guys who could use a fresh start, and two teams who might be willing to roll the dice.
Jonatan Berggren (Detroit Red Wings)
Berggren’s another guy who could benefit from a change of scenery. He’s around the same age as Chinakhov — a bit younger actually — and plays a more complete two-way game. He’s not a sniper like Chinakhov, but he’s a smart playmaker who could be a better fit in a bottom-six role for Columbus.
He scored a big late-game winner against the Jackets in January, so Columbus fans might remember the name.
Berggren has been productive in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 2023–24, he put up 56 points in 53 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins and added 10 points in nine playoff games. He also chipped in six points in 12 NHL games that season. Then in 2024–25, he stuck in Detroit’s lineup more regularly, posting 12 goals and 24 points in 75 games. He’s not a top-line guy, but he’s shown he can play at the NHL level when given a role.
He just signed a one-year deal at $1.825 million, a little lower than Chinakhov’s. It’s the kind of trade that could be a straight swap without any cap issues.
Berggren’s not as much of a shooter as Chinakhov, but he’s probably a safer bet in a bottom-six role. He makes smart plays, chips in offensively, doesn’t take a ton of risks, and is a hard forechecker, something Columbus could definitely use.
From Detroit’s side, GM Steve Yzerman could take a shot on Chinakhov’s top-nine upside. If he stays healthy, he brings more of a scoring threat. Plus, this would be an interesting divisional trade between two teams that could both use a bit of a shakeup. Nothing flashy, but it could work out for both sides.
One thing I could see is Waddell wanting a little more back, maybe a mid-to-late round pick added on to even things out. Chinakhov still has that first-round pedigree and plenty of upside, so it’s likely not a clean one-for-one.
Either way, this feels like a possible move that makes sense for both sides.
Philip Tomasino (Pittsburgh Penguins)
This isn’t a name flying around in trade rumors, but the Penguins have been one of the teams linked to Chinakhov recently. They’re in a bit of a rebuild right now and could be in a position to take a risk on a player with upside. Chinakhov fits that mold, and Tomasino could be a return that makes some sense. Also, Tomasino and Chinakhov are both former late first-round picks who haven’t quite panned out yet.
Tomasino hasn’t fully broken through yet in the NHL, but there’s a lot to like about his game. He plays both center and wing, which would be a nice boost for Columbus’ depth, and plays with more pace and edge than Chinakhov. He’s a hard forechecker, gets back on the backcheck, and goes to the net, areas where Chinakhov has struggled.
Tomasino also played on the second power-play unit in Pittsburgh and has shown he can contribute in that role, something Chinakhov hasn’t consistently done in Columbus.
Stat-wise, Tomasino started last season with the Nashville Predators but didn’t produce much there, just one assist in 11 games. After landing in Pittsburgh, he played 50 games and put up 11 goals and 23 points. Not eye-popping numbers, but respectable. He’s currently on a $1.75 million deal that runs through the end of this season, almost identical in price to Chinakhov’s $2.1 million salary, so the contracts line up pretty well for two teams with plenty of cap space.
I could actually see this one being a one-for-one swap, given both of their upside. It’s the kind of deal that could work well for both sides if done.
There’s always the chance nothing comes together and Chinakhov is still with the Blue Jackets this season. But if a deal does happen, these are the three returns that make the most sense to me for Columbus.