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Columbus Blue Jackets forward demands a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks and one other specific team

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Jack Sutherland
September 23, 2025 (8:30)

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Per analyst Rob Couch, the Chicago Blackhawks are a team that could be interested in acquiring Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a trade.

There is still plenty of work to be done for the Chicago Blackhawks in terms of their roster construction, but they could soon have the chance to add an interesting piece to it.

Per analyst Rob Couch of The Hockey News, the Blackhawks are a team that is in "talking stages" of acquiring Chinakhov.

"All of the prospects that the Blackhawks have won't have a future with Chicago as there isn't enough room and some will be shipped out sooner or later. That could come in a deal this season. According to Evan Renaerts, sources say Yegor Chinakhov of the Columbus Blue Jackets has finalized trade demands and the Blackhawks are one of the teams that are in the talking stages."

The Blackhawks are set to start their preseason tonight in Detroit.

Yegor Chinakhov has been linked to the Blackhawks

Taken with the 21st pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Chinakov came over from the KHL in his native Russia and played in 62 games for Columbus in 2021-22.

But he's bounced back and forth between the Blue Jackets and the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters and hasn't been able to firmly establish a lineup spot in Columbus.

So far in 175 total career NHL games, he has 71 points (34G, 37A). His best year was 2023-24, in which he had 29 points (16G, 13A) in 53 games.

He also has a year left on his current contract with an AAV (average annual value) of $2.1 million and could easily fit under Chicago's salary cap.

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SEPTEMBRE 23 \| 397 ANSWERS Columbus Blue Jackets forward demands a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks and one other specific team Should the Blackhawks acquire Yegor Chinakhov from the Blue Jackets?
Yes	244	61.5 %
No	153	38.5 %
List of polls

Columbus Blue Jackets forward demands a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks and one other specific team

Per analyst Rob Couch, the Chicago Blackhawks are a team that could be interested in acquiring Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a trade.

Yegor Chinakhov has been linked to the Blackhawks

Should the Blackhawks acquire Yegor Chinakhov from the Blue Jackets?