Wherever there’s drama and speculation, the Toronto Maple Leafs are almost always nearby. As their search for Auston Matthews‘ new sidekick continues, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov has emerged as a potential candidate. But as the buzz grows louder in Ohio, the young talent has explained the reason behind his NHL trade request.
The NHL offseason never fails to deliver. The market stays ever active and breaking news emerge at any given moment. Now, the spotlight is on Columbus, where Chinakhov has openly requested a trade out of the organization. The announcement came via the forward’s agent on social media.
It didn’t take long for Toronto’s name to enter the mix. The Maple Leafs recently confirmed a trade for former Canucks’ Dakota Joshua. Yet, it seems the team in The Six isn’t going anywhere. The grind won’t stop until the team around Matthews is fully-established and suited to hoist a Stanley Cup.
As Chinakhov is a name that the Maple Leafs will reportedly enter conversations with the Blue Jackets for, the forward’s agent made something clear about the reasons for the 24-year-old’s rift with the franchise in the Discovery City. As it’s been the case repeatedly, Chinakhov lets his agent speak for him, and this time it was no different.
Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs attends the 2022 NHL player media tour at Encore Las Vegas on September 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I don’t think there’s any way he can stay in Columbus. I don’t see any way. Chinakhov is comfortable with this team. He’s comfortable with the city. But he’s not comfortable with this coach. It’s all about the coach,” Chinakhov’s agent, Shumi Babaev, told The Athletic.
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Seeking answers
The rift between Chinakhov and head coach Dean Evason have seemingly begun after the latter shifted the forward down to the third line. Chinakhov finished the past NHL season with 15 points in 30 appearances. After battling through injuries, the 24-year-old was a healthy scratch near the end of the season — a decision his agent claims was never explained to the forward.
“Chinakhov started the season on the first line and he was fantastic. But then he’s on the third line, and that’s it. The coach doesn’t even tell him anything. Why would you do this. It’s something that should be explained,” Babaev added. “I’m not saying how a coach should work. I’m just saying my player is not comfortable with this coach and [he feels like] the coach doesn’t trust him.”
Not for sale
While the Blue Jackets are open to listening to offers for Chinakhov, GM Don Waddell made it clear the organization won’t budge on Babaev’s demand just for the sake of compliance. If a suitable offer doesn’t come to the table, Columbus will keep the Russian forward in its ranks. Waddell voiced a strong response to the Leafs’ interest, subtly warning any other NHL team lurking.
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“I’m surprised his agent went public. But I’m not surprised because we’ve talked about it,” Waddell admitted, per The Athletic. “He has value. I will talk to teams. I have talked to teams. But I’m not just going to trade him because you said to trade him.”
