Deen’s Daily: What Chinakhov Wants from Columbus; Did Avs Make Right Move with Blackwood Extension in December?

Did the Avalanche make the right move when they signed Mackenzie Blackwood to a long-term deal in December? Also, a goalie could be on the move soon, and Yegor Chinakhov’s agent identifies what his client wants.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — July 20.

Colorado Hockey Now

I’m probably going to bump this piece to the front of the website on Monday morning again. But yesterday, I went through every single NHL goalie contract signed (minus ELC’s) since Blackwood locked up his extension in December.

The purpose of the exercise was to see if the Avs made the right move — if they got a good deal or if they rushed and overpaid their starter given his previous track record.

Basically, it’s 2,000 words on goalie contracts, and it’s a nice slow-part-of-the-offseason read. This one is behind the CHN+ paywall just because of the crazy amount of time it took to research and write.

But hey, promo code Deen10 gets you 25% off an annual subscription to CHN+ content. Also, a subscription also eliminates ALL of those dreadful advertisements you see on the website right now. It makes the experience that much better. Not bad for a few dollars a month if you ask me.

I had mixed reactions to my story earlier in the week about the Avs, and how they should target Chinakhov if, in fact, the Blue Jackets move him before training camp.

Aaron Portzline of the Athletic wrote a follow-up early Sunday morning about the relationship between team and player. If you have a subscription to their website, you can read it here.

Ultimately, Portzline noted that Chinakhov got treatment for his back in Russia during the 4 Nations break and his injury issues are behind him. He also noted that Chinakhov’s agent said his client wants to play a top-six role. Columbus could make that work this season if they really wanted to.

The Avs? Not so much. At least not now. And that’s fine.

After Brent Burns signed with Colorado, I remember Elliotte Friedman had a segment on his podcast where he mentioned that the Canes wanted to bring Burns back, but they told him he’d play a more limited role than the first pair spot he’d had with them the past three years.

Friedman said Burns preferred to play a limited role elsewhere rather than on the team where he’d been a key piece. And that this is often the case with athletes who are told they no longer will get the ice time or role they once had.

Chinakhov, if acquired by the Avs, wouldn’t have a top-six spot until an injury arises, which, likely, will happen at some point. But it’s also worth noting that Martin Necas hasn’t signed an extension, Artturi Lehkonen has two years remaining on his deal, and between Valeri Nichushkin and Gabe Landeskog, you might be able to squeeze in quite a bit of time in the top six.

If Chinakhov came to Colorado, I could see something like that working out for him. He’d eventually be a key piece and that next era of talent to play in the top six. It just wouldn’t happen right away. If the Avs are interested, he’d be silly not to play the long game to be part of a team like this. Again, this is all assuming the Avs try to acquire him.

Anyway, here’s what I wrote earlier in the week about him.