Blue Jackets Bolster Future with Heinen Acquisition, Trade Away Chinakhov
the Columbus Blue jackets have strategically reshaped their forward lines, acquiring veteran forward Danton Heinen, a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from the St. Louis Blues, and a 2027 third-round pick from the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Yegor Chinakhov, team President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today. Heinen has been instantly assigned to the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters.
According to Waddell,”This trade provides us with additional draft capital over the next two years and a good two-way player in Danton Heinen that will add to our organizational depth at the forward position.” He further stated that the team believed a change of scenery would benefit both Chinakhov and the club, thanking him for his contributions over the past five seasons.
Heinen: A Proven NHL Veteran
The 30-year-old Heinen brings a decade of NHL experience to Columbus, having registered 97 goals and 146 assists for 243 points in 579 career games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, and Anaheim Ducks. He has consistently demonstrated a well-rounded game, accumulating 139 penalty minutes and a +29 plus/minus rating. This season, despite limited action with Pittsburgh (1-1-2 in 13 games), he showcased his offensive capabilities with 6-11-17 in 12 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. Throughout his AHL career,spanning 82 contests with W-B/Scranton and Providence,Heinen has tallied 21 goals,50 assists,and 71 points.
Originally selected by Boston in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-2, 187-pound winger has proven his playoff mettle, appearing in 48 career postseason games with 6 goals, 7 assists, and 13 points. He notably reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Bruins in 2018-19, recording a career-high 2-6-8 in 24 playoff games. Heinen’s career-best regular season came in 2023-24 with Boston, where he posted 17 goals, 19 assists, and 36 points in 74 games.
Before his professional career, heinen excelled at the University of Denver, earning NCHC Rookie of the Year honors in 2014-15 and being named the conference’s Forward of the Year in 2015-16 after a dominant 20-28-48 performance in 41 games.
Chinakhov’s Departure
Chinakhov, 24, was originally drafted by Columbus in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft.Over five seasons with the Blue Jackets, he appeared in 204 games, registering 37 goals, 40 assists, and 77 points while averaging 13:28 of ice time. His most productive season was 2023-24, where he recorded 16 goals, 13 assists, and 29 points in 53 games. This season,the Omsk,Russia native had 3 goals,3 assists,and 6 points in 29 games.
Blue Jackets Return to Action
Columbus will resume play tonight with a road game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Center.Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET,with live
Why did the trade happen?
The trade occurred as the Blue Jackets sought to acquire additional draft capital and organizational depth,while also believing a change of scenery would benefit Yegor Chinakhov. The team aimed to bolster its future prospects and provide Heinen with an opportunity to contribute at the AHL level initially.
