Friedman reports that Toronto and Columbus discussed a trade this summer.
The Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly attempted to trade Nick Robertson this summer and are still looking at their options.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Maple Leafs floated a trade to the Columbus Blue Jackets this summer, which would've seen Robertson on the way out and Yegor Chinakhov coming into the team.
Friedman writes that Columbus wasn't too interested in making that deal.
"Toronto is investigating options for Nick Robertson. At some point in the summer, they pitched a move for Yegor Chinakhov, but that wasn’t to the Blue Jackets’ liking. That file remains open in Columbus, however."
A one-for-one trade with those two players would've been a fascinating development. It would've been a good opportunity for two once highly-touted draft picks to get a fresh start with a new NHL club.
Chinakhov was the Blue Jackets' first-round (21st overall) pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He's played 178 NHL games with Columbus, scoring 34 goals and 38 assists over the span of five seasons. His best year came in 2023-24, when Chinakhov tallied 29 points (16 goals, 13 assists) in 53 games.
It Doesn’t Seem Like Joseph Woll Is Returning To Maple Leafs Any Time Soon
Woll has been away from the team due to personal reasons since Sept. 23.
The 24-year-old has appeared in three of the Blue Jackets' six games this season. He's in the final season of a two-year contract, which sees him paid $2.1 million annually, and will be a restricted free agent at the end of this year.
Robertson's situation has been one to watch since the summer of 2024, when he requested a trade from the Maple Leafs.
Toronto's second-round (53rd overall) pick in the 2019 NHL Draft remained with the club last season, scoring a career-high 15 goals in 69 games. He got into just three of Toronto's 13 playoff games last spring and had one goal and one assist in that span.
Robertson has appeared in all six of Toronto's games this season. The forward has one assist and is averaging 11:01 of ice time, the second-least amount on the Maple Leafs, ahead of only Steven Lorentz (9:24).
Maple Leafs Lose Chris Tanev for Minimum Three Games With Upper-Body Injury
Tanev was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 21. Dakota Mermis has been recalled.
Robertson will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season on Friday when the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Buffalo Sabres. He and the Maple Leafs settled on a one-year, $1.825 million contract this summer after the RFA elected for arbitration.
In 163 NHL games with Toronto, Robertson has 32 goals and 25 assists for 57 points.
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