Chinakhov Wants Out of Columbus — Why the Avalanche Should Make a Move

Anytime you could get your hands on a first-round talent with a 200-foot game and offensive upside, you have to do it.

Or at least try.

Yegor Chinakhov wants out of Columbus, according to a report from Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, and the Avalanche should take a chance on the buy low, high reward forward.

According to the report, the 24-year-old Chinakhov’s agent went public on X/Twitter, stating that a misunderstanding between his client and Jackets head coach Dean Evason led to the request. Columbus’ GM Don Waddell told Portzline that he wasn’t surprised about the request, and that Chinakhov didn’t take well to being healthy scratched after not playing well following a back injury.

The Jackets are taking calls to try to trade him, if the return is up to par with his value.

Enter the Avalanche. And a long relationship between Chris MacFarland and his former employer.

MacFarland has time and time again taken a chance on players or coaches from the Jackets organization since joining Colorado in May 2015. Usually it’s on guys he knew when he was there, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes GMs have teams or other GMs they prefer to trade with, and Columbus is that for the Avs.

In fact, the most notable move Colorado has made this summer was a deal that sent Miles Wood and Charlie Coyle to the Blue Jackets. This is a great opportunity for the two organizations to strike another deal.

Chinakhov is listed at 6’1, 201 lbs, and was drafted No. 21 overall in 2020. He had seven goals and 15 points in 30 games this past season, but that came after a 16-goal, 29-point 2023-24 season in just 53 games.

If the Avs can get him without overpaying, the left shot right-winger, who has experience on the power play and a great shot, is a perfect reclamation project oozing with potential to be a useful top-six winger.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Necas’ Next Contract, Trade Value, and Bottom-Six Depth Uncertainty

The Avalanche haven’t had much success in recent years with reclamations or hitting on a player’s untapped potential, like with Oliver Kylington, Erik Brannstrom, and even Casey Mittelstadt. This same front office, led by Joe Sakic and MacFarland, also missed in the Patrick Roy era with pick-ups like Joe Colborne and Patrick Wiercioch.

But this is the same group that hit big with Valeri Nichushkin, Devon Toews, Artturi Lehkonen, and Andre Burakovsky, to name a few. Those guys were all on the Stanley Cup-winning roster in 2022.

Chinakhov might not be a success. But he also could be, and would majorly help a franchise that needs young talent up front for this upcoming season and beyond.

Low risk, high reward. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t always present itself.

Let’s see if MacFarland can make it happen.