The Montreal Canadiens are focused on getting better. Whether it’s the addition of Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders, Joe Veleno through free agency, or extensions for Jakub Dobes and Jayden Struble, every move is about becoming a better team.
Heavy.com proposed a trade that would see them acquire Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets. This deal would give their forward group a new look while also shedding some salary, giving them more flexibility to make additional transactions.
Canadiens Acquire:
- Yegor Chinakhov ($2.1 million)
Blue Jackets Acquire:
- Josh Anderson ($5.5 million)
- Arber Xhekaj ($1.3 million)
This would be a unique trade because the Canadiens would shed $4.7 million in cap space while also adding a young forward with solid top-nine potential. The Blue Jackets get a good third-pairing defender with some bite, freeing up the logjam on the Canadiens’ left side of their blueline. The Blue Jackets also add an experienced winger who has shown an ability to contribute offensively while playing physically.
The Canadiens would acquire Chinakhov, the Blue Jackets’ 21st overall selection in the 2020 draft. The 6-foot-1, 201 lb, 24-year-old Russian winger recorded 15 points in 30 games during the 2024-25 season.
The Blue Jackets would acquire Josh Anderson and Arber Xhekaj. The 31-year-old Anderson was initially selected 95th overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2012 draft. The 6-foot-3, 226 lb winger recorded 27 points in 81 games. Xhekaj is a 6-foot-4, 240 lb left-handed defender who recorded six points and 180 hits in 70 games. The 24-year-old came into the league as an undrafted player.
Canadiens Give Chinakhov a Fresh Start
Chinakhov fell out of favor with Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason. This led the 24-year-old to request a trade from the organization.
“I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season,” Chinakhov said via a social media post from his Agent. “Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here.”
Canadiens’ head coach Martin St. Louis has demonstrated an ability to communicate well and connect to young players. The organization has a strong belief in him, choosing to extend him through to the end of the 2026-27 season.
“He’s such a good motivator,” defender Kaiden Guhle spoke of St. Louis during their first-round series against the Washington Capitals. “He has new analogies, and sometimes you’re just like, ‘What the hell, how did he come up with that?’ It never gets old.”
“He pushes a lot of belief into the group, and when your coach believes that much, it’s hard for the team not to.”
That belief and positivity are sure to work wonders for a potential acquisition like Chinakhov.
Canadiens Get a Different Look
Moving out a forward like Anderson would help create roster space for new acquisitions. It also brings them closer to the salary cap. David Pagnotta reports that the Canadiens are looking at trade options, and the 31-year-old could be on the chopping block.
“The Habs are currently over the salary cap and remain active in the trade market,” Pagnotta wrote. “They want to add a No.2 centre, that’s no secret. Moving Anderson could be an option to help free up extra cap space. He owns a 5-team no-trade list.”
The Blue Jackets have room to spend and are looking for an impact player. According to PuckPedia, they have $16,342,501 in cap space.
Pagnotta also reports that Mike Matheson has surfaced in trade conversations. With Struble fresh off a two-year extension, he appears to be a strong contender for the third pairing. While trading Matheson would alleviate more salary cap, moving Xhekaj is a more straightforward proposition because of his age and contract.
The Canadiens are currently $5,931,667 over the salary cap ceiling.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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