The market is heating up, and when NHL insider Pierre LeBrun drops a list, general managers listen. The Yegor Chinakhov situation in Columbus is clearly reaching a boiling point. It’s no secret he requested a trade this past summer. After being stapled to the press box for long stretches last season and seeing minimal fourth-line minutes in just three games this year, the 24-year-old former first-rounder is clearly not in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ long-term plans.
This is a player with a lethal, NHL-caliber shot—we’ve all seen flashes of it—but he can’t showcase it from the stands. Now, LeBrun reports the calls are picking up, and the list of interested teams is fascinating, especially since it includes divisional rivals.
The Blue Jackets are listening, but there’s a significant catch: management is seeking a player in return, not just draft picks or distant prospects. This isn’t a salary dump; it’s an asset-for-asset swap. Columbus wants someone who can help them now or, at minimum, a different type of young asset that fills a different need. This demand complicates things, but it also shines a spotlight on a few specific teams who are well-positioned to make a deal.
The Atlantic Division Interest: Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Sabres, and Panthers
It’s no surprise that four of the five teams mentioned—the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, and Florida Panthers—all reside in the Atlantic Division. They’ve seen Chinakhov’s potential up close.
For the Toronto Maple Leafs, the interest is obvious. GM Brad Treliving is always hunting for scoring depth. Their bottom-six is a constant work-in-progress, and Chinakhov offers a high-upside, cost-controlled offensive weapon. The challenge is the “player-for-player” ask. The Leafs don’t have many non-roster players to send, so a deal would likely involve a similar “change of scenery” candidate, perhaps someone like Nick Robertson, or a depth defenseman.
The Detroit Red Wings are even more intriguing. Steve Yzerman loves reclamation projects, especially those with high-end skill. Chinakhov fits the age bracket of their ascending core. Yzerman has a deep stable of prospects and young roster players, making a player-for-player swap more feasible than it is for Toronto.
Both the Sabres and Panthers make sense as “buy-low” teams looking to add a young shooter to their middle six. The Sabres are building, and the Panthers are contending; Chinakhov fits either timeline.
The Western Conference Wild Card: Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are the lone Western team on the list, and they shouldn’t be discounted. The Flames are in a re-tooling phase and desperately need young, skilled, cost-controlled offensive talent. Chinakhov is the definition of a “buy-low” candidate who could flourish with a new opportunity on a team that can give him the ice time he craves.
From my perspective, this is a classic case of a player needing a new environment. He’s too good to be a permanent healthy scratch. The Blue Jackets’ rigid asking price is the only thing holding up a deal, but as the calls increase, someone will meet it. My money is on a team like the Red Wings, who have the assets and the patience to turn Chinakhov into the top-six sniper he was drafted to be.
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