Blue Jackets go off board, take Yegor Chinakhov with 21st pick

The Columbus Blue Jackets made a surprising selection Tuesday night, choosing Russian forward Yegor Chinakhov 21st overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.

NHL Central Scouting tabbed Chinakhov as the 30th-ranked European skater in its final rankings.

Chinakhov has collected five goals and two assists in 12 games with the KHL's Avangard Omsk in 2020-21.

He spent most of the 2019-20 campaign with Avangard's junior team, Omskie Yastreby, in the MHL. The right-winger piled up 27 goals and 69 points in 56 games during that season.