The Columbus Blue Jackets need to make a decision regarding the immediate playing time of Yegor Chinakhov.
The rookie, 20, knew he wasn't guaranteed an NHL roster spot when he made the jump from Russia this offseason, where he won the KHL's Gagarin Cup with Avangard Omsk. But he and his representation felt, and most agreed, that playing in North America would be the right step for his development, be it at the NHL level, or worst-case scenario, at the AHL level.
And there, my friends, is the key word: "playing".
Chinakhov has played in 18 of the Blue Jackets' 26 games this year, posting a rather pedestrian 1-3-4. He's had two goals called back after offside reviews, and I generally don't take issue with him not being in the lineup. But where is the sense in making the 20-year old a healthy scratch? If it were a one-off incident, no problem. But he's been a healthy scratch for four consecutive games. In other words, he hasn't played since December 4, the 3-1 loss in Washington against the Capitals, where, you guessed it, he had a goal called off as the play was deemed offside. He played 10:51 in the loss, his third consecutive game under 12 minutes.
Yegor Chinakhov has had two goals in the past few games taken off the board for offside. #CBJ have lost three goals to offsides challenges in total in the last five games, I believe.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) December 5, 2021
Poor Chinny.
Chinakhov should be playing hockey games, and if that's not going to happen in Columbus, he should be sent to Cleveland. This isn't Scott Harrington, a 28-year old perpetual bridesmaid who has spent so many nights in the press box in recent years that he probably has a cot up there. Before Cole Sillinger came to town this fall, Chinakhov was arguably the brightest and most important prospect in the organization.
Barring injury, the Blue Jackets are staring down a surplus at the forward position. It's possible that Sillinger leaves for a few weeks to play in the 2022 WJC, but others, like Patrik Laine and Emil Bemstrom, should be returning to the lineup sooner rather than later. That further puts the clamps on Chinakhov.
At the end of the day, I empathize with Brad Larsen's dilemma. Here he is, a first-year head coach of an NHL franchise, with an overachieving group. Chinakhov hasn't knocked his socks off, and that's been evident in his ice usage (he's averaged 12:44 TOI in 18 games). For a head coach, it's difficult to find room in a lineup for a 20-year scorer with one goal (that's counted) in your top six/top nine, and he's been patient with his lineup.
That puts the onus on Jarmo Kekalainen. Kekalainen knows the value of young players playing in the AHL, so it's been confounding trying to understand the disconnect. And again, this wouldn't be a topic of conversation if it were the odd game or two.
When the Blue Jackets take the ice next tomorrow (December 14th), it will have been 10 days since Chinakhov played a game in the NHL. Hopefully, it won't get to 11. And if he doesn't play on Tuesday, let's hope he's on his way to joining the Cleveland Monsters.
