The first domino has tumbled in the Blue Jackets ' lengthy line of pending free agents.
The team announced Friday that forward Yegor Chinakhov , 23, has agreed to a two-year deal worth a total of $4.2 million and carries a $2.1 million charge per season against the NHL salary cap, which is rising from $83.5 million to $88 million for next season.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets in holding pattern with Patrik Laine trade talks
Chinakhov is the first of seven pending RFAs at the NHL level for the Blue Jackets, who have four others with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League . They also have seven pending unrestricted free agents who played most of the past season with Cleveland, including defenseman Nick Blankenburg.
Since being drafted 21st overall in the 2020 NHL draft, Chinakhov has tallied 27 goals, 29 assists and 56 points in 145 games over parts of three seasons.
"Yegor is an outstanding young player who has shown steady improvement over his first three seasons with the organization," Blue Jackets president of hockey operations/general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "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."
Chinakhov, unlike four of the Jackets' other NHL-caliber RFAs, did not have arbitration rights. He'll remain an RFA without arbitration rights at the end of the new contract in July 2026.
While showing steady improvement since entering the NHL as a rookie in 2021 , Chinakhov has yet to complete a season without missing significant time due to injury . Should he get his health straightened out, the dynamic Russian winger is poised for a breakout season within the Jackets' group of top-six forwards.
Despite missing 24 games, Chinakhov still set career-highs this season in goals (16), assists (13), points (29), shots (110) and average time on ice (15:10). He has also added bulk to his 6-foot-1 frame and is listed at 204 pounds now. Chinkahov has also added separation speed through strength gains, which has made him more difficult to keep away from the net.
Chiankhov also owns the Blue Jackets' hardest wrist shot to go with a slapper that may ranks near the top. His previous salary was $800,000 on a one-year extension signed after the expiration of his entry-level contract, so the new deal is $1.3 million annual raise. The Blue Jackets have about $21.7 million in cap space to sign their remaining NHL-level RFAs — including forwards Cole Sillinger , Kent Johnson , Kirill Marchenko , Alexandre Texier and Alex Nylander .
Waddell said recently that he wasn't concerned about inheriting a large group of free agents after agreeing to run the Blue Jackets' hockey side . He's gone through it previously with the Carolina Hurricanes and Atlanta Thrashers and is also utilizing his new executive staff.
"Whether it's an entry level player, a restricted player, a restricted player with (arbitration rights) or a UFA, they all take time," Waddell said. "I've been doing this for almost 20 years. I'm not worried. We'll get them done. There might be some that take a little longer. Some players might file for (arbitration), and then once they file you've probably got another three weeks before (the hearing), when you can still negotiate. As long as both sides are fair, you usually find a commonplace."
The Blue Jackets have exclusive negotiating rights until free agency opens July 1. Those who are RFAs with arbitration rights get the most bargaining leverage among the non UFAs, while RFAs without arbitration rights can use holdouts or contract offer sheets to apply negotiating pressure.
Offer sheets are rarely used in the NHL, but Waddell is certainly familiar with them.
Restricted free agents can sign tentative contracts with opposing teams, but their current team holds the ultimate decision about whether to match the offer or take a compensation package of draft picks to let the player leave. During Waddell's tenure in Carolina, the Hurricanes matched an offer sheet from the Montreal Canadiens in 2019 to keep star center Sebastian Aho . Two years later, they plucked center Jesperi Kotkaniemi away from Montreal with their own offer sheet.
The Blue Jackets have promising young RFAs who could potentially draw offer sheets, but Waddell could also use one or more of them as trade chips to bring in veteran help the roster lacks. There's a lot of moving parts at this time of the summer, and the NHL's transaction machine is just warming up.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets' Don Waddell on coaching change: 'We need to have a different voice'
Things could heat up even more at the NHL draft next week in Las Vegas, where all 32 teams will bring their executives to meet at The Sphere for the two-day event. Free agency opens two days later, which means Chinakhov's contract is likely just the start of a busy time for the Blue Jackets. They still need to hire a new head coach and continue to seek trade options involving forward Patrik Laine , who's in the NHL/NHL Players Association's player assistance program.
The Blue Jackets released their preseason schedule Friday, which consists of eight total games split evenly between road and home dates.
Starting with a road game Sept. 23 in Buffalo, they will play home and away games against the Buffalo Sabres , Pittsburgh Penguins , St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals . The final two games will be played Oct. 3-4 against the Penguins, including the finale at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
Unlike the past two years, the Blue Jackets and Penguins will not play split-squad games in each market at different times on the same day. Here are all eight games: Sept. 23 at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m.); Sept. 25 vs. St. Louis Blues (7 p.m.); Sept. 27 at Washington Capitals (7 p.m.); Sept. 28 vs. Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m.); Sept. 30 vs. Washington Capitals (7 p.m.); Oct. 1 at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m.); Oct. 3 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m.); Oct. 4 at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m.)
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets open RFA extensions by signing Yegor Chinakhov
