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NHL Analyst Links Canucks to Dakota Joshua Replacement After Forward Demands Trade

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 4:05 PM ET

NHL analyst Jacob Fraser has linked Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakov to the Canucks as a Dakota Joshua replacement after he demanded a trade.

The Vancouver Canucks may have a solution to their top-nine forward hole after dealing Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that solution is Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Yegor Chinakhov, per NHL analyst Jacob Fraser.

'Shortly before the Vancouver Canucks traded Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs, reports came out that Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov had requested a trade.
There is now a hole in the Canucks' top-nine forward group on the wing that Chinakhov could potentially fill.'

- Jacob Fraser, Canucks Army

While Yegor Chinakhov's recent trade request has nothing to do with the Dakota Joshua deal, the timing is curious.

The 24-year-old Russian winger, a first-round selection in 2020, possesses a mix of speed, skill, and a heavy shot. Injuries limited him to 30 games last season, yet he still contributed 15 points, which is a 41-point pace over a full season.

Chinakov's potential is a top-six NHL winger

While his defensive game remains a work in progress, Chinakhov has clear upside and room to grow. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Chinakhov has the size and offensive arsenal to develop into a reliable top-six winger in the future.

Through 175 NHL games, he's put up 71 points (34 goals, 37 assists) but hasn't yet become a regular top-line winger in Columbus. His highest-scoring season was 2023-24, when he scored 16 goals in 62 games.

For Vancouver, Chinakhov could slot in immediately on the third line alongside Nils Hoglander and Teddy Blueger, where he could aid in forming a line reminiscent of the effective Joshua-Blueger-Garland line.

Chinakhov would also be a safe wager for second-unit power play minutes, with an opportunity to find a top-unit role if he finds his rhythm.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

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