Back in December, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded forward Egor Chinakhov to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick, and forward Danton Heinen. Seeing Chinakhov get moved was not surprising, as he requested a trade during the off-season. The change of scenery has certainly helped Chinakhov, as he has been shining with the Penguins ever since. In 38 games with the Penguins since the trade, Chinakhov has recorded 17 goals, 13 assists, 30 points, and a plus-4 rating. This was after the 2020 first-round pick had just three goals and three assists in 29 games for the Blue Jackets before the trade. Chinakhov has also been staying hot down the stretch for the Penguins, as he has recorded three goals and one assist over his last two games alone. This included him scoring two goals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 2. Chinakhov showed promise at times during his stint with the Blue Jackets. This was especially the case during the 2023-24 season when he had 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games. However, it is clear that he has been taking his game to a new level with the Penguins.
