It’s a 32-hour drive from Chinakhov’s hometown of Omsk to Voronkov’s home of Angarsk – Marchenko's home of Barnaul is in between – but there’s clearly chemistry for this trio of CBJ draft picks from Siberia. They were chosen in consecutive seasons of the NHL draft, with Marchenko being selected in the second round of the 2018 draft, Voronkov going in the fourth round a year later and Chinakhov tabbed in the first round in 2020.
They’ve taken similar but different paths to North America, with Chinkahov playing just one KHL season before coming to North America in 2021, Marchenko coming over after four seasons in 2022 and Voronkov joining this season after four of his own seasons in Russia’s top league.
Their games also seem to complement each other well. All bring size and speed to the table, with Chinakhov measuring in at 6-foot-1, Marchenko at 6-3 and Voronkov a hulking 6-6. They can score but do it in different ways, with Chinakhov boasting one of the hardest shots in the game, Marchenko playing a direct game with strong offensive instincts, and Voronkov mixing sneaky skill with his impenetrable netfront presence.
On top of it all, they put the time and work in to get better, studying how they can improve as a unit following each game.
“We try to learn from each other after the game,” Chinakhov said. “We watch the shifts and are just learning how we can play better on the ice. We just try to help the team, just try to win the game.”
Add it all up and it’s a line head coach Pascal Vincent has quickly come to trust, as the trio can not only get the job done on the offensive end, they all play a responsible defensive game.
“Voronkov’s line is so reliable defensively, and they have the skills,” Vincent said. “They just see each other on the ice. It’s pretty impressive. But they study the game together. They watch film together. They talk on the bench consistently. They’re students of the game, and there’s this passion to play the right way. And the skill level of those three, they could be a good line for us for a long time.”
That’s the good news for the Blue Jackets, as well, as the three have just 222 combined NHL games under their belt. The trio has the chance to learn and grow together, and while there’s bound to be volatility in line combinations over time, their chemistry should serve them well with the Blue Jackets for years to come.
“Of course,” Marchenko said. “It’s really helpful for us. Every game helps because same thing, we try to find the small details. Every faceoff, Vorny works on faceoff passes and I start the passes too. I don’t have great speed but Chinny flies on the ice, Vorny has a great battle level. I’m just shooting pucks. It’s good chemistry. Just try to keep working.”
