COLUMBUS, Ohio — Yegor Chinakhov, a 2020 first-round pick whose early career with the Columbus Blue Jackets has been beset by injuries, has requested a trade, the club confirmed on Thursday. The request became public after a social media post by Chinakhov’s agent.

In a post on X, Chinakhov’s agent, Shumi Babaev, appeared to quote the winger in writing: “I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. 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.”

The request was not news to Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell.

“I’m surprised (agent Shumi Babaev) went public,” Waddell said to The Athletic. “But I’m not surprised (about the trade request) because we’ve talked about it. He got back (from the back injury last season) and didn’t play well, and (Chinakhov and Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason) fell out of favor.

“I told (Babaev), he has value. I will talk to teams. I have talked to teams. But I’m not just going to trade him because you said to trade him.”

Babaev declined to comment via text when contacted by The Athletic.

It’s possible that Babaev was paraphrasing Chinakhov from an interview that was published in Thursday’s edition of Sport-Express, a Russian sports outlet.

The interview, which The Athletic translated using Google, includes the following back and forth between Chinakhov and Sport-Express special correspondent Alexey Shevchenko:

Shevchenko: “I have a feeling that you will calmly accept a trade to another club.”

Chinakhov: “I will be even happy, I guess.”

Shevchenko: It is because of what has accumulated? Taking into account all the unsuccessful periods and misunderstandings with the head coach?

Chinkahov: All together, in total, yes. I want to change my location.

Shevchenko: It makes absolutely no difference which team?

Chinakhov: No, of course not. There is a difference, but the main thing is that everything works out.

Chinakhov has played in 175 games during his first four NHL seasons, missing 109 games due to injuries, including 40 games last season with a back injury. After he returned to the lineup March 4, he was a healthy scratch in 12 of the final 17 games.

He finished with seven goals, eight assists, 15 points and a minus-6 rating in 30 games.

“When he came back, he was not the Chinakhov we were hoping he was, and he got healthy scratched at the end (of the season),” Waddell said. “That’s what happens with guys. He couldn’t handle that.”

Waddell said Babaev going public doesn’t change his position, or add more urgency to his efforts to trade Chinakhov. He declined to disclose the asking price, but it has been clear all summer that the Blue Jackets are seeking immediate roster help, not future assets.

“I ignore it,” Waddell said of the post. “I’ll talk to teams. I’ll continue to talk to teams. But him (going public) isn’t going to change my thinking on it.

“I have to have the right value. It depends on how many teams are interested and what teams are willing to pay. I can ask for whatever I want, but what’s the market? And if the market’s not good enough, he’ll be a Blue Jacket.”

The expectation, Waddell said, is that Chinakhov — if he remains with the Blue Jackets — will show up for training camp in two months and be ready to play. He had a procedure on his lingering back injury last season during the 4 Nations Face-Off and went into the offseason with a clean bill of health, Waddell said.

“One hundred percent he’ll be (at camp),” Waddell said. “He’s under contract, making (over) $2 million.

“I’ve been through this before. If he comes back and says, ‘My agent tried to find me a different place, but I’m here and I’m going to play as hard as I can.’ … I’ve seen it a number of times, and usually it’s not an issue if the player shows up with the right attitude.”

(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)