Chinakhov Checks a Few Boxes for Devils as Trade Target
Per his agent, Yegor Chinakhov is seeking a trade. His skillset would likely be a welcomed addition for the New Jersey Devils.
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It's been quiet around the New Jersey Devils since free agency (too quiet for my liking). There haven't been many rumors, but one has to imagine there'll be some movement eventually, specifically after Luke Hughes signs an extension.
General manager Tom Fitzgerald needs to address getting either a third-line center or another top-six/middle-six winger before the start of the season. I'm not entirely confident that they can take the big swing, so that may mean looking at some cost-effective options with upside.
Yesterday, Yegor Chinakhov's agent, who also happens to be Arseniy Gritsyuk's agent, tweeted that his client would prefer a fresh start elsewhere. Chinakhov has struggled with injuries, but there appears to be a quality hockey player who could make sense as a trade target for the Devils.
Chinakhov Would Add Some Elements the Devils Lacked in 2024-25
Chinakhov was one of the most surprising first-round picks I can remember. Most public scouting services had him ranked as a late-round prospect as an overager in 2020. But former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen took a chance on Chinakhov after he tore up the MHL in 2020-21, posting 69 points in 56 with Omskie Yastreby.
Draft evaluation was not easy in 2021 since it was during the height of the COVID pandemic, but reaching for Chinakhov has seemed to pay off for the Blue Jackets, despite some of his injury concerns.
Chinakhov had a solid 2023-24 season, totaling 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games, a 25-goal, 45-point pace over an 82-game season. While he only played in 30 games this past season, he totaled seven goals and 15 points, a 19-goal, 41-point pace over an 82-game season.
There's clearly some scoring upside with Chinakhov, and he has some skills the Devils lacked in their lineup last season. Using his 2023-24 season as a dataset, since it was a larger sample, let's look at Chinakhov's strengths.
Most notably, Chinakhov is a high-end skater, as his top skating speed ranked in the 94th percentile. The Devils got faster with the additions of Evgeny Dadonov and Connor Brown this offseason, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to add more speed.
Second, Chinakhov has one of the more underrated shots in the game, as his top shot speed ranked in the 97th percentile during the 2023-24 season. The Devils were one of the poorer finishing teams last season, so adding Chinakhov's shot would also help.
Chinakhov's goal-scoring rates over the last two seasons suggest he has breakout potential if he can stay healthy, too. He's averaged 1.16 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five, a more efficient rate than Filip Forsberg, Alex Tuch, and Alex Ovechkin, to name a few.
Chinakhov is not a play-driver, but if the goal is to play him on the wing alongside Jack Hughes, I'd be pretty confident that he can make it work. Overall, it sure looks like there's a player here that's worth targeting:
It'll be curious to see what the Blue Jackets are looking for in return for Chinakhov. My guess is something along the lines of a second or third-round pick and a prospect or depth NHLer.
That should be a price the Devils are willing to pay, and despite them being tight on cap space, there aren't any excuses for not finding a way to fit in Chinakhov's $2.1 million cap hit for the 2025-26 season. He'll be an arbitration-eligible RFA next summer, but the Devils can worry about that a year from now. Otherwise, I very much like the fit on the ice.
The Chinakhov & Gritsyuk Connection
It's probably not a coincidence that Gritsyuk and Chinakhov have the same agent. They came up through Avangard Omsk's junior system in Russia and were even teammates in the KHL for a bit during the 2020-21 season with Omsk.
I'm sure signing Dadonov partly had to do with Gritsyuk coming over to North America for the 2025-26 season. The transition isn't always the easiest for young European players, so the Devils likely want to make life as comfortable for him as possible.
And what better way than to possibly bring in his teammate from his junior days in Russia. Chinakhov and Gritsyuk are both 24 and played together for multiple seasons at various levels of the Russian junior hockey system.
I'm sure having a veteran like Dadonov will help Gritsyuk, but it can't hurt to have someone his age. They train together during the offseason, so clearly the two are friends off the ice.
Of course, you don't want to acquire Chinakhov just for Gritsyuk. There has to be a fit on the ice, too, but that sure seems to be the case since Chinakhov is such a great skater and shooter, making him a potential fit for Hughes.
The key for Chinakhov is that he has to stay healthy. It's a legitimate concern, and the Devils have had their fair share of injury troubles over the last few seasons, so you can't just brush it off.
Still, I would take a flyer on Chinakhov if the price is right. I can't imagine he costs the Devils (or any team) their top assets, and his $2.1 million cap hit should make him a fit for a Devils team that's tight on cap space.
Chinakhov Is Not the Big Swing, But…
I know he's not the big swing that many Devils fans want, but Chinakhov would make for an acceptable offseason. Right now, I don't have much confidence that the Devils can land the big swing, given how the offseason is playing out.
That's not a slight on the Devils' front office, even though it may seem so. But the trade market is dead at the moment, and the Pittsburgh Penguins seem to be the only team willing to sell off.
There will be plenty of demand for trade targets like Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, so Fitzgerald and the Devils' front office may have to seek more cost-effective options like Chinakhov.
As long as he stays healthy, Chinakhov could be an underrated pickup who 1) helps Gritsyuk on and off the ice and 2) complements Hughes and Jesper Bratt well. If he checks off that many boxes, there's probably a fit.
Correction: Chinakhov was drafted in 2020, not 2021. This article has been updated to reflect that.
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I have some concerns - I saw some comments from CBJ fans that make it sound like he's a bit of a problem child... but we do need to be as cost effective as possible if we're going to be able to sign another Hughes in a couple of seasons. Guess it couldn't hurt to take a shot, if we could get him for a 2nd or 3rd.