As the Columbus Blue Jackets continue to struggle in seemingly perpetual mediocrity, they find themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division standings with a pedestrian 5-7 record through their first 12 games of the 2026-27 campaign.
Their season began on the heels of a major trade that saw them deal Kirill Marchenko to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a major package in return that included Matthew Knies, who scored twice in his Blue Jackets debut but hasn't found the back of the net since then.
Meanwhile, one player mired in trade rumors is Dmitri Voronkov, and speculation continues to heat up. The Fourth Period recently put out a list of teams that could be in pursuit of the Russian-born forward, noting that his future in Columbus seems “bleak”.
“The Blue Jackets have been talking to teams about Voronkov for some time and his future with Columbus seems bleak,” the report read via The Fourth Period. “It’s unclear what Columbus’ objective is here, but the team wants to improve and packaging Voronkov for an upgrade elsewhere might be the preferred plan.”
Article Continues BelowThe teams listed as potential suitors for Voronkov include the Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Seattle Kraken, and Ottawa Senators.
Voronkov, who was selected in the fourth round (114th overall pick) by the Blue Jackets in the 2019 NHL Draft, has just two assists in eight games played so far this season. In 219 career NHL games, he's scored 58 goals with 57 assists. He's also a pending restricted free agent, playing in the final season of a two-year pact with a $4,175,000 salary cap hit.