Columbus Blue Jackets trade young first-round pick Yegor Chinakov

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been building a very special young core in recent seasons, but unfortunately, for every Adam Fantilli, there's going to be someone that doesn't quite live up to the hype.

Recently, that's been Yegor Chinakhov, who has struggled to meet expectations following a 29 point season in 2023/24, and now, after requesting a trade in the summer, it appears as though he's being dealt.

On Monday, Pierre LeBrun first reported on X that the Blue Jackets are close to finalizing a deal involving Chinakhov, as they will be acquiring future assets in the form of draft picks in the deal.

At 24-years of age, some fans urged the team to be patient with Chinakhov's development, but now, the team clearly ran out of patience, and instead of moving him for a win-now piece, after acquiring Mason Marchment, they've dealt Chinakhov for future assets instead.

Now, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the deal will send Chinakhov to a division rival in the form of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they once again acquire a talented, NHL ready player to continue their solid start to the 2025/26 season.

The Blue Jackets would have loved for things to work out with Chinakhov, but with no clear role in their top-six, the time to make a move was now, with the hope being that the future assets can continue helping them build this talented young core.

Forward Danton Heinen will also be in the deal.