As the NHL offseason heats up, a surprising and dramatic situation has emerged in Columbus that could have ripple effects across the league—especially for the Montreal Canadiens.

After a strong finish to the 2024-2025 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets were riding high, nearly surpassing the Canadiens in the playoff race.

But just as expectations soared for the next campaign, an unexpected twist has thrown the organization into turmoil: talented forward Yegor Chinakhov has officially requested a trade, citing irreconcilable differences with head coach Dean Evason.

This revelation, confirmed by Chinakhov’s agent, has sent shockwaves through the hockey world, raising questions about locker room dynamics, coaching philosophies, and the future of a promising young player.

With Montreal’s front office always on the lookout for offensive upgrades and Chinakhov’s intriguing connection to Ivan Demidov, the possibility of a blockbuster move is suddenly on the table.

What really happened behind the scenes in Columbus? Could Chinakhov’s next destination be Montreal, and what would that mean for both teams?

Dive deeper into the full story to uncover the hidden details and explore what could be one of the most fascinating developments of the offseason.

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Columbus Blue Jackets had an excellent end to the 2024-2025 season, so much so that the Ohio team nearly overtook the Montreal Canadiens.

They really put the pressure on Martin St-Louis’s squad for the final playoff spot.

Expectations will be high within the organization for the upcoming campaign, but now one of their players has thrown a wrench into the works.

Yegor Chinakhov requests a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets: an opportunity for the Montreal Canadiens on offense?

As reported by journalist Aaron Portzline, forward Yegor Chinakhov has indeed requested a trade from the team’s general manager, Don Waddell, due to a conflict with head coach Dean Evason.

At least, that’s what his agent Shumi Babaev stated during an interview with The Athletic , despite the fact that the 24-year-old player enjoys being in Columbus.

Wow.

“Chinakhov is comfortable with the team and with the city.

But he is not comfortable with this coach.

It’s all because of the coach.”

– Shumi Babaev

However, it appears that Don Waddell has stated he would not trade Chinakhov just to accommodate him, but that if he does decide to send him to another NHL team, the offer would have to be acceptable for his services.

It also seems, according to Chinakhov’s agent, that communication between his client and the Blue Jackets’ coach was strained throughout the season, and when he returned from a long injury, he was left out for almost the entire final month of the campaign.

A change of scenery could therefore benefit the young Russian forward, who recorded 7 goals and 15 points in 30 games in 2024-2025. And given his connection with Ivan Demidov, the Montreal Canadiens are a team to watch in this case.