The Pittsburgh Penguins were one of the biggest surprises from the 2025-26 season. After being expected by many to be among the worst teams in the NHL, the Penguins instead made the playoffs. There were many reasons why the Penguins exceeded expectations this campaign. One of them was forward Egor Chinakhov, as he broke out in a major way after being acquired by the Penguins in December. In 43 games with the Penguins following the trade, he had 18 goals, 18 assists, 36 points, and a plus-4 rating. This was after he had just three goals and three assists in 29 games with the Blue Jackets this season before the trade. It is no secret that Chinakhov was long overdue for a fresh start before being traded to the Penguins. The change of scenery helped him tremendously, and he should have no trouble building off his career year in 2026-27. Chinakhov showed this season with the Penguins that he is capable of being a legitimate top-six winger. Now, the 25-year-old forward will be looking to continue to shine with the Penguins. It is going to be interesting to see what kind of season Chinakhov can have for the Penguins next season. If he continues to produce offense for them like he did this campaign, the 2020 first-round pick could have himself a special year next season.
