Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has been scouring the trade market this offseason, completing several moves that he obviously believes will benefit the team going forward. Finessing a rebuild without taking a sledgehammer to the foundation is an intricate process, one that few have the skills and ambition to pull off. The Pens are hoping to stay competitive, but they are prioritizing youth and untapped promise this summer.
There is an emerging trade candidate who satisfies that criteria. Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Yegor Chinakhov wants out after having “misunderstandings” with head coach Dean Evason last season, via The Hockey News' Kelsey Surmacz. Pittsburgh makes sense as a possible destination, particularly because veteran Bryan Rust has recently been linked to the Blue Jackets.
If Dubas decides to deal the squad's third-highest goal scorer from the 2024-25 campaign, then it is reasonable to seek Chinakhov as a potential replacement option. But the Russian forward comes with one major drawback: his health.
The former first-round draft pick has played in only 175 games since debuting in 2021, preventing the Blue Jackets from seeing what he is fully capable of doing on the ice. Chinakhov suffered a back injury last year and struggled after returning, causing him to miss more than half the campaign. However, if he can use the remainder of this summer to get his body right, then he should have value to offer next season.
Chinakhov is still only 24 years old, making him a potentially appealing target for a Penguins squad that is looking to get younger. He remains a mystery, and Kyle Dubas is in a position in which it is practical to gamble on wild cards. Perhaps Pittsburgh is the perfect place for Yegor Chinakhov to further his development.
The Blue Jackets have yet to act, though. They may wait to see what the market gives them before rushing headfirst into a deal. The Penguins are likely to at least monitor the situation, as they continue to tweak their roster. Chinakhov has one year and $2.1 million left on his contract.
