Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov will return to action against the host Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday after missing 39 games with a back injury.
Chinakhov missed the final 17 games last season with a back injury and then played through back discomfort in training camp. He played the first 21 games this season before back issues forced him to the bench.
The Blue Jackets’ first-round pick (21st overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft has had a difficult recovery from the injury, experiencing multiple setbacks.
Chinakhov reportedly saw at least six doctors, including one in Russia, to address the issue. He did not have any corrective procedures but did have a small camera inserted into his back, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
“Sometimes, I was already practicing with the team and it’s not one step back … it’s three, four steps back,” Chinakhov said. “It’s frustrating, for sure. But it’s alright. Sometimes, (stuff) happens.”
Chinakhov, 23, has 70 points (34 goals, 36 assists) in 166 career games with the Blue Jackets.
He was limited to 53 games last season due to injuries but still tallied 29 points on 16 goals and 13 assists — all career highs at the time. He added three game-winning goals.
He signed a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension last June. The contract runs through the 2025-26 NHL season.
In a corresponding move, center Cole Sillinger has been placed on IR with a week-to-week shoulder injury, the team announced.
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