Birth date: Feb. 1, 2001 (age 21)
Birthplace: Omsk, Russia
Height, Weight: 6-1, 189
Stats: 62 GP, 7-7-14
Contract: Signed through 2022-23 season (One year remaining before RFA status)
It was likely always going to be a year of learning for Yegor Chinakhov.
He was named the KHL's top rookie in 2020-21 when he helped Avangard Omsk to the Gagarin Cup title, then moved to North America this past season to play in the top hockey league in the world with the Blue Jackets.
Chinakhov was just 20 years old on opening night and had to deal with plenty, including getting used to the higher level of play, acclimating to the smaller ice surface in North America and, oh yeah, the small issue of living in a new country and with a different culture where he couldn't speak the language.
So despite the fact he was a first-round pick in the 2020 draft, Chinakhov wasn't expected to carry the load for the Jackets upon arrival given all that was in play. In the end, he posted 14 points in 62 games in a season that was full of some impressive performances and some nights where he struggled to find his game.
Head coach Brad Larsen was impressed by what he saw at times from the Russian youngster, who remains a big part of the CBJ plans going forward.
"Chinny is a really smart player, and usually with guys at this age, you're trying to teach all these small intangibles of the defensive side of the puck and the awareness," Larsen said. "He is a really sharp player as far as structure, and he understands and grasps it and applies it really well. Now that I know that about him, he has trust from me.
"He has the legs to attack the game. He has the shot to be dangerous. He has to trust his skill set. … I want him to be aggressive, assertive, competitive, all those things. He has a bright future. I just want him to bring that consistency of those intangibles and see where it goes."
Tweet from @BlueJacketsNHL: vids that go hard 😤 pic.twitter.com/oYZyxSyzul
There were a few false starts when it came to Chinakhov's first NHL goal -- he seemed to be the most snakebitten player on the year when it came to goals taken off the board -- but there was no doubt when he got on the score sheet in his ninth NHL game Nov. 15 against Detroit. Columbus trailed 3-2 in the third period, but Chinakhov took a feed from Jakub Voracek , got behind the defense and sniped a lethal wrist shot past goalie Thomas Greiss with 4:18 on the clock. Zach Werenski then scored the winner with 1:19 to play as Columbus claimed a 5-3 victory in Nationwide Arena.
Afterward, Chinakhov's famous seven-word speech after being awarded the Kepi hat -- "Good job. Good work. Good goal, next" -- was one of the most endearing moments of the season for the Jackets.
Video: FIRST KEPI FOR CHINNY
Video: MIN@CBJ: Chinakhov nets only goal of shootout
Chinakhov was a streaky scorer in the KHL with Avangard Omsk -- when the puck went in the net, it seemed to happen in bunches for the wing. In his first season with the Blue Jackets, the points came in spurts as well, but in the same game. Chinakhov had four two-point games, meaning more than half of his points on the season came in multipoint outings. When he's feeling it, he's feeling it.
This will be an interesting year for Chinakhov, who played in more than three-quarters of the team's games a season ago and was generally in the lineup when he was healthy. In 2022-23, there will be more competition on the wing, though, with the additions of Johnny Gaudreau , Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko, among others. Chinakhov showed his goal-scoring talent a year ago at times as well as good hockey sense, and he seems to have what it takes to be a big offensive contributor at some point as he gains more experience. He'll have to earn his ice time this year, though. If he takes the opportunity and runs with it, all the better; if he gets lost in the shuffle at the NHL level, it might make sense for him to play big minutes in Cleveland to continue his development.
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