Blue Jackets Big Forward Named Potential Trade Candidate

It might still be the early stages of the 2026-27 season, but trade speculation is already starting.

The Athletic recently took a look at one "under-the-radar" trade candidate from each NHL team this season. When it came to the Columbus Blue Jackets, The Athletic's Aaron Portzline picked Dmitri Voronkov as the team's biggest trade candidate to watch.

"Voronkov has not lived up to the promise he showed as a power forward with a combative style and soft hands. The Blue Jackets have grumbled for years about his lack of conditioning," Portzline wrote. 

When noting that questions about Voronkov's future with the Blue Jackets have come up before, it is not too surprising to see him being named as a potential trade candidate. He was also scratched for Columbus' most recent game against the New York Rangers. 

Voronkov could be a decent trade chip for the Blue Jackets to dangle to improve their roster elsewhere. Although he has had some consistency issues, his past success could make him an intriguing target for some clubs looking for top-nine help. 

Voronkov has had a quiet start to this season, posting one assist and a minus-1 rating in five games. This is after he posted at least 17 goals and 32 points in each of his first three NHL seasons. His best season so far was in 2024-25, when he recorded career highs with 23 goals, 24 assists, and 47 points.

With past numbers like these, there would be some risk in the Blue Jackets trading Voronkov. It will be interesting to see what they decide to do with the 6-foot-5 forward this campaign.