NHL News: Blue Jackets HC Dean Evason breaks silence on Yegor Chinakhov’s trade request out of Columbus

Finally, Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason addressed the elephant in the room. With an honest statement on the situation, the bench boss commented on Yegor Chinakhov and the atmosphere within the organization ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season.

The Blue Jackets have seemingly weathered the storm. It felt like drama would wreak havoc in Discovery City after Chinakhov asked to be shipped off. However, the situation has been kept in check by the Jackets, and things are beginning to feel normal again in town.

Still, that doesn’t mean Chinakhov isn’t keeping a close eye on any opportunity that may open up elsewhere in the NHL. Nor does it imply the Blue Jackets are letting go of what happened in the summer—namely, Evason, who was called out by Chinakhov and his agent, Shumi Babaev. Regardless, the head coach delivered a sincere message on the situation.

“I told [Chinakhov] there’s no grudge,” Evason admitted in conversation with The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline. “I don’t care that he asked to be traded and that he said something publicly. It’s OK. Nothing has changed as far as how I’m going to treat him.”

Dean Evason back during his time with the Minnesota Wild

Same old

Chinakhov’s main reason for seeking a new beginning in the NHL was the lack of ice time he was getting with Columbus. After a strong start to the 2024-25 season, injuries set him back, and he was slid down to third-line duties. As a result, he blamed Evason for the lack of trust. Now, with both sides set to stick together, Evason issued a stern reminder.

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“If you don’t compete, and if you don’t do the things the organization asks you to do, you won’t play. If you do, you’ll play,” Evason added. “I will not hold a grudge. I’m not ehre to badmouth you about saying something. That has no bearing.”

Take him up on that promise

Just months ago, it felt the trust between Chinakhov and Evason was broken to pieces. However, there are signs of hope for fans in Columbus. The mature talks between the two are a great starting point, with Chinakhov voicing a sincere promise.

“[Chinakhov told me] ‘If I’m not going to play, I don’t want to [be] here. But I’ll do everything to play here‘,” Evason revealed on his conversation with the 24-year-old Russian forward.

Off to a promising start

If anything, Evason and the Blue Jackets have high expectations for Chinakhov as he enters his fifth NHL campaign. The winger is excited to prove himself to the organization and can’t wait for the season to get underway. At least, that’s how it seems, as he was the first Russian to return from the break and report back to Columbus’ facility.

“I do [read into the fact he was the first player back from Europe], 100 percent. We were talking earlier this summer, like, ‘Is he even going to come to camp?’ You don’t know,” Evason admitted to The Athletic. “But he’s here and looks great physically, so we’ll see.”

The next step, if Chinakhov has a productive season, would be to negotiate a contract extension with the pending restricted free agent (RFA). However, Columbus won’t get too far ahead of itself. For the time being, having the former first-round pick in town is a great sign—and more than enough.