The Columbus Blue Jackets are listening to trade offers for winger Dmitri Voronkov as “some teams” have been calling with interest in the player, reports Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
This development comes as Voronkov has “run aground” with the Blue Jackets, according to LeBrun’s colleague at The Athletic, Aaron Portzline. Voronkov was a healthy scratch for Columbus’ slate of back-to-back games on Oct. 17 and 18, before returning to the lineup for the club’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
Most recently, Voronkov skated on the Blue Jackets’ second line, alongside countryman Valeri Nichushkin and veteran No. 2 center Sean Monahan. Previously, Voronkov had battled with 22-year-old Luca Del Bel Belluz for a spot on Columbus’ fourth line. So far this season, Voronkov is averaging just 11:44 time on ice per game, including usage on the club’s second power play unit. In terms of production, he’s managed two assists in six games and is still waiting on his first goal.
This is not the first time the 26-year-old has found himself battling for regular ice time in the Blue Jackets’ lineup. Voronkov’s NHL career, which is now in its fourth year, has been something of a rollercoaster, defined by its highs and lows. At his best, Voronkov has looked like a core part of the team’s future.
As a rookie, Voronkov managed 18 goals and 34 points, translating his success from the KHL seamlessly to the NHL. The following year, he had a breakout campaign potting 23 goals and 47 points in just 73 games. Voronkov’s unique blend of skill paired with overwhelming physicality has made him a coveted talent.
But those high moments in Columbus have been paired with bouts of inconsistency, and stretches where Voronkov’s role, and on-ice impact, have waned. In particular, Voronkov’s inability to earn the trust of head coach Rick Bowness has been a real issue. In the 45 games Voronkov played before the arrival of Bowness last season, he averaged 16:31 time on ice per game, scoring 16 goals and 29 points.
Bowness’ first game in charge of the Blue Jackets came on Jan. 13 of last year. Voronkov would go on to play 18 games under Bowness before a hand injury ended his season prematurely. In those 18 games after Bowness took over, Voronkov’s ice time declined to under 11 minutes per game, and he managed just one goal and three points in that time frame. In the final five games of his 2025-26 season, Voronkov played less than 10 minutes on three occasions, and registered a high of 10:58 time on ice.
Perhaps most distressingly for Voronkov, the Blue Jackets actually won at a significantly increased rate while utilizing Voronkov in a limited fourth-line role, compared to how they had fared with Voronkov getting more than 15 minutes per game. Before Bowness took over, the Blue Jackets won just 19 of 45 games that Voronkov played in. After Bowness took over, when Voronkov’s usage began to decline dramatically, the Blue Jackets won 13 of their 18 games he played in.
In other words, while Voronkov has had some excellent moments in Columbus, it seems he simply has not fit in with Bowness and his plans for the club. That has undoubtedly played a role in the team’s willingness to listen to trade offers for the player.
Another factor contributing to the likelihood Voronkov could be traded is his contract. He’s carrying a $4.175MM cap hit this season on a deal that expires this summer. When it does, Voronkov will become an arbitration-eligible RFA, assuming he receives a qualifying offer.
Even with his recent downturn in form, Voronkov does have an impressive resume of scoring at the NHL level. With the way salaries have increased rapidly around the league, Voronkov has a very strong case to earn a pay raise on his current cap hit. It seems unlikely the Blue Jackets have a strong appetite to offer him much of a raise, though.
As a result, it seems the best path forward for both parties is a change-of-scenery trade. Voronkov has not been able to mesh with Bowness, and the Blue Jackets have other young forwards they could devote their energies to. Both the player and club could stand to benefit from a deal.
It may not be the easiest trade to complete depending on how highly the Blue Jackets value Voronkov, as his recent performances have been below the standard he set earlier in his career.
But Voronkov’s situation is not entirely dissimilar from that of Egor Chinakhov just a year ago. That Chinakhov went from nearly being exiled from the Blue Jackets’ lineup to becoming an instant contributor with the Pittsburgh Penguins could give interested teams some confidence that Voronkov may be able to hit his stride once he gets to play in a new environment. It’s worth noting that Chinakhov and Voronkov share the same agent: Rick Komarow of Maverick Sports Management.
LeBrun cautioned, as part of his report, that Voronkov is not a guarantee to be traded. But it does seem, based on how things have trended, that a trade could be the ideal outcome for everyone involved.
Photos courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images