It was likely always going to be a year of learning for Yegor Chinakhov.
He was named the KHL's top rookie in 2020-21 when he helped Avangard Omsk to the Gagarin Cup title, then moved to North America this past season to play in the top hockey league in the world with the Blue Jackets.
Chinakhov was just 20 years old on opening night and had to deal with plenty, including getting used to the higher level of play, acclimating to the smaller ice surface in North America and, oh yeah, the small issue of living in a new country and with a different culture where he couldn't speak the language.
So despite the fact he was a first-round pick in the 2020 draft, Chinakhov wasn't expected to carry the load for the Jackets upon arrival given all that was in play. In the end, he posted 14 points in 62 games in a season that was full of some impressive performances and some nights where he struggled to find his game.
Head coach Brad Larsen was impressed by what he saw at times from the Russian youngster, who remains a big part of the CBJ plans going forward.
"Chinny is a really smart player, and usually with guys at this age, you're trying to teach all these small intangibles of the defensive side of the puck and the awareness," Larsen said. "He is a really sharp player as far as structure, and he understands and grasps it and applies it really well. Now that I know that about him, he has trust from me.
"He has the legs to attack the game. He has the shot to be dangerous. He has to trust his skill set. … I want him to be aggressive, assertive, competitive, all those things. He has a bright future. I just want him to bring that consistency of those intangibles and see where it goes."