The Columbus Blue Jackets have had a tumultuous start to the regular season – to say the least. Their forward corps has been riddled with injuries. First with the loss of their captain Boone Jenner for a significant amount of time. Also out of the picture for the next month is Dmitri Voronkov, the Russian sophomore that showed flashes of brilliance last season. They’ve needed to lean on their younger players to take the next step to see any sign of improvement in the standings.
One of those youngsters is Yegor Chinakhov and at 23 years old he leads the Blue Jackets in scoring through five games. There was an inkling that he was capable of doing this, but he’s continuing the breakout he started last season. While consistency over an 82-game season still needs to be proven, he has so much raw talent and can be a huge part of this team’s future.
From Draft Obscurity to the Blue Jackets’ Top Line
It feels like just yesterday – or I’m just really old – when then-Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen broke the internet during the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Chinakhov wasn’t listed on many draft boards of members in the media, especially not at 21st overall. That was evident in the ten seconds of silence from draft pundits on the broadcast after he was picked while they scrambled to find their notes on the Russian.
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Chinakhov had spent the season with the junior farm team for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). His 69 points in 53 games were good enough to finish fifth in league scoring. He and linemate Arseni Gritsyuk were far and away the most productive on the squad. As an aside – Gritsyuk, who is a prospect for the New Jersey Devils, has gone on to significant success with Omsk and is currently fifth in KHL scoring as a member of SKA St. Petersburg (the New York Yankees of the league).
After being drafted, Chinakhov was promoted to the big club in Omsk where he spent the 2020-21 season and worked up a reputation as a solid secondary scorer. He was credited with 10 goals and 17 points in 32 regular season games played. He built on that earning a spot in the lineup for 21 of 24 postseason games en route to a Gagarin Cup championship. In the process, he was named the Alexei Cherepanov Trophy winner as the KHL Rookie of the Year.
Following those wins, he came to North America signing his entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets on May 2, 2021. There was certainly some hype surrounding his arrival as the first of several prospects from Russia to make their way to Ohio. The development curve for Chinakhov hasn’t been a straight line and has had several setbacks. In his rookie season, he and Cole Sillinger had their moments. It was a tough season for the team as they began to find an identity post-John Tortorella. The young forward used the season to get his NHL legs under him and start to deal with the busy schedule, playing in 62 games scoring seven goals and 14 points. He improved in his second season from a points pace perspective, but was set back by injuries.
Only playing in 30 NHL games, he was still able to score almost as many points as he had the season before with four goals and 13 points. The 2023-24 season was the first real step forward for Chinakhov. After a logjam at forward forced him to the American Hockey League (AHL) through opening night, he was called up shortly after and just looked confident. Due to injuries, he was given the opportunity and seized it, becoming a fixture in the Blue Jackets’ top-six. It’s not entirely evident if you look just at his point production – 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games don’t jump off the page, but when you actually watch him play there is a lot to like. There was a stretch in late December through January where he was the team’s best forward. During that stretch, he was defensively in the right positions and earned 18-20 minutes regularly.
This season, Chinakhov has picked up right where he left off and earned a spot on the top line for opening night. He played alongside Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko to great avail. So far, the winger has scored in each of the Blue Jackets’ first five games and leads the team in scoring with three goals and seven points. He’s also second in forward ice time with 19:14 per game. It’s safe to say he’s solidifying himself as a valuable piece of the top-six.
Chinakhov’s Metrics Look Promising
The main thing that has been touted about Chinakhov since his surprise draft selection is his shot. He was sixth in the NHL last season for total 90-plus miles per hour (MPH) shots on goal with 29. That’s not a prorated ranking, that’s based on the gross number, and he only played 53 games. Think of what he could do in 82 games. This season, he’s in the 90th or higher percentile for most shooting metrics.
He’s also an elite skater. That’s not just something I’m saying, the numbers agree. Chinakhov ended the 2023-24 season tenth in the NHL for 22-plus MPH speed bursts with 24. He’s continued to show that speed this season, tied for fifth in 22-plus MPH bursts and is in the 97th percentile for 18-22 MPH speed bursts.
Someone who can shoot that hard and skate like the best is really valuable to the Blue Jackets as they continue to shape their new core of players. Still only 23 years old, he just needs to stay healthy and the sky is the limit. So far, he’s off to a great start as the team leans on him a little heavier to help get them through some difficult injuries.
