The Columbus Blue Jackets received a formal trade request from their young winger Yegor Chinakhov, as confirmed by his agent. The Toronto Maple Leafs quickly emerged as potential contenders for the player, who could be a strong candidate to replace Mitch Marner and line up alongside Auston Matthews.
However, the situation is not progressing quickly, and Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell was firm in his response to Chinakhov’s trade request. It’s clear that these are tense hours in Columbus due to the immediacy of the case.
The Maple Leafs, for their part, are still in search of a market-shifting name to restore the offensive firepower the franchise had with Marner, who will no longer be alongside Matthews and is set to continue his career with the Vegas Golden Knights starting in the 2025–26 NHL season.
Waddell’s reaction to the potential Chinakhov trade
Waddell not only confirmed the trade request in a conversation with Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, but also made clear what the team’s response will be. “He’s under contract. If he shows up with the right attitude, there’s no issue,” stated the Blue Jackets GM.
Yegor Chinakhov of the Blue Jackets
The stance of the Columbus GM is clear. The franchise does not plan to rush into making a deal. Waddell stated that Chinakhov “has value” and that they will only consider trading him if they receive the right return—not just to satisfy the player’s desire. From now on, the Blue Jackets will wait for a fair offer.
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Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs reportedly come across perfect chance to replace Mitch Marner with player desperate for fresh start
Why does Chinakhov want to leave Columbus?
Chinakhov doesn’t have a good relationship with head coach Dean Evason, about whom he said there were “misunderstandings” last season, and he now hopes to move on. At the same time, his health is a concern for the near future. Last season, the forward missed 40 games due to a back injury and, after returning, was sidelined for 12 of the final 17 games.
