Blue Jackets re-sign Yegor Chinakhov to two-year contract

Columbus Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced the club has re-signed Yegor Chinakhov to a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension.

The contract carries an average annual value (AAV) of $2.1 million per season.

Chinakhov registered 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 points in 53 games, he missed 24 games due to injuries during the 2023-24 season. Chinakhov set career highs in all departments.

“Yegor is an outstanding young player who has shown steady improvement over his first three seasons with the organization,” said Waddell. “We believe he has a chance to be a very good player for us and are excited about his continued growth as a Blue Jacket.”

The 23-year-old also appeared in three games with the Blue Jackets’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Cleveland Monsters at the start of the season where he scored three goals and four points in that frame.

Chinakhov was selected No. 21 overall in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft, shocking the hockey world as an ‘off-the-board pick.’ Prior to joining the Blue Jackets, the Omsk, Russia, product tallied 10 goals and 17 points in 32 games for Avangard Omsk of the KHL. He was named the KHL’s Rookie of the Year and notched five goals and seven points in the playoffs to help the club capture the 2021 Gagarin Cup. He also represented Russia at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships picking up one goal in five games.