Trade Pitch Sees Rangers Dealing $17 Million Forward to Blue Jackets

The New York Rangers are in their Stanley Cup window and one trade pitch makes an intriguing one-for-one swap involving young players.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the New York Rangers trade Filip Chytil to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Blue Jackets acquire:

• Filip Chytil

Rangers acquire:

• Yegor Chinakov

The trade pitch sees the Rangers and Blue Jackets swap young forwards in an intriguing deal. The Blue Jackets would acquire Chytil who was selected in the first round of the 2017 NHL draft. He’s entering the second year of his four-year $17.75 million deal.

Chytil has struggled to stay healthy, but when he is, he is an impact player. The former first-round pick would project to be a middle-six forward for the Blue Jackets who could also move to the wing. Last season with the Rangers, he recorded 0 goals and 6 assists in 10 games. But, the year prior when he was healthy, he recorded 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points in 74 games.

Chinakov, meanwhile, is 23 and was selected in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft. He’s skated in 145 NHL games recording 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 points. The forward would be a middle-six forward for the Rangers. He also gives them more cap flexibility as Chinakov makes just $2.1 million next season as he’s entering the first year of a two-year $4.2 million deal.

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Rangers’ Chytil Dealt With Head Injuries Last Season

Chytil dealt with an upper-body injury last season and was ruled out for the remainder of the season in January, despite not playing since November.

However, it was revealed that Chytil was dealing with a head injury which is why he was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

“Following a thorough evaluation of Filip Chytil after his recent setback from an upper-body injury, it has been confirmed he will be out for the remainder of this season,” the Rangers said in a statement. “The organization’s top priority throughout this process has been Filip’s health and we will continue to fully support him in his recovery with an aim to return for the 2024-25 season.”

Chytil was able to return for the Stanley Cup playoffs as he skated in 6 games recording 0 points. But, him returning to the ice was good news for the Rangers who are banking on him being a key part of their roster for the 2024-25 NHL season.

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Blue Jackets Mourning Death of Johnny Gaudreau

Columbus has been mourning the death of star forward Johnny Gaudreau.

Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed on August 29, 2024. According to The Columbus Dispatch, “the Gaudreau brothers were killed after a suspected drunk driver crashed into them on a rural road” where they were biking in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.

The death shook the hockey world and on September 4, the Blue Jackets held a press conference on September 4 with several players telling stories about Gaudreau.

“As a team, we’re going to get through this,” Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner said. “We’re going to grieve, cry, be vulnerable, and support each other every step of the way, but we will persevere, because I know that’s what John would want. We’re not only going to remember John and Matthew during these difficult days or during this season alone. Their memories will stay with us forever.”

The Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames also held a candlelight vigil on September 4 for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.

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