Well, it looks like Yegor Chinakhov made it known he wants out of Columbus. At least unofficially, at the time of this writing. And when a young player like this wants moved, the Chicago Blackhawks should take full advantage and get ready to make an offer if the Blue Jackets grant his request.
Right now, the Blackhawks lack depth in their forward group, and while a few prospects look promising and could be surefire candidates to move up, a former first-round pick like Chinakhov who's young enough to fit into the team's long-term plans could be a godsend if the price is right.
Chinakhov's shown top-six potential, but he would fit in better in the middle six, logging between 14:30 and 15:30 per contest. It's worked well over the past two seasons, where he's put up 44 points and 23 goals in the last 83 games, with a respectable 12.9 shooting percentage. He's got four game-winning goals in that span, and has shown an edge with 90 body checks.
Yegor Chinakhov could solve the Blackhawks issues in the middle six if they make a trade for him
Right now, the odds of the Blackhawks trading for a player like Chinakhov are slim, since it's all but clear general manager Kyle Davidson wants to roll with the players he's got. But with Chinakhov heading into his age-24 season, he more than fits the mold for what the Blackhawks want - a young player with the potential to be a long-term asset.
Plus, coming from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Chinakhov's no stranger to rebuilds and even playing for a team that exceeded expectations. That experience would be epic for a Blackhawks team that needs to learn how to win. And despite Chinakhov's youth, he can join the vets and help point this team north.
While I wouldn't expect the Blue Jackets to immediately trade Chinakhov, it's still a storyline worth following as we enter the slowest time of the year for hockey. But, it doesn't mean that random trade (or two) won't happen, and Chinakhov could be one of those players on the move.
Chinakhov would give Blackhawks prospects some serious competition
Sometimes, general managers for rebuilding franchises hesitate to acquire outside talent because they're afraid these players will "get in the way" of their prospects. Sure, this could happen with Chinakhov, but again, he's only in his age-24 campaign, so I wouldn't label him as a player who'd "get in the way" here.
Also, because he's younger, Chinakhov would push these prospects to outplay him if they want his spot in the lineup. So, if the Hawks can get a good deal here, I'd definitely make this trade if I'm Kyle Davidson.
