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Penguins' Chinakhov May Be The Real Deal

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Pittsburgh Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has quite the track record of taking chances on players who fall out of favor or aren't given greater roles with other organizations. 

Last season, he took a chance on former Nashville Predators forward Philip Tomasino, surrendering only a fourth-round pick. Although that one didn't quite pan out for Pittsburgh - he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in December - others have, including the signings of Parker Wotherspoon, Justin Brazeau, and Anthony Mantha. So far, too, has the trade for Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak. 

And the latest example of a chance acquisition looking like a steal for Dubas is winger Egor Chinakhov, who the Penguins acquired for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-round pick, and forward Danton Heinen from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 29. The 24-year-old Russian winger had not seen eye-to-eye with then-head coach Dean Evason, but Dubas decided to take a chance on him.

Well, it looks like that gamble may very well pan out. And then some. 

Before joining the Penguins, Chinakhov had three goals and six points in 29 games for Columbus, largely playing fourth-line minutes and even finding himself a healthy scratch. Despite the potential of the first-round pick (21st overall) in 2020, injuries and inconsistency threatened to derail what was supposed to be a pretty promising young player. Pittsburgh was a second-chance opportunity for Chinakhov to play to his strengths and skate in a role that could, potentially, help him rediscover his game. 

Since joining the Penguins? That's exactly what has happened.

In 12 games with Pittsburgh, Chinakhov already has five goals and six points, which amounts to a 34-goal, 41-point pace for an entire season. He's also seen an uptick in ice time, averaging 2:37 more than he did in Columbus, he's been seeing time on the Penguins' second power play unit, and he's held down a regular spot on the second line next to Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak. 

Chinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsChinakhov Trade Shows Penguins Are Starting To Shift GearsKyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, and it could be a sign of things to come over the next several months.

Of course, there are many players who enjoy a post-trade boost. It happened last season with Tomasino, who registered three goals and four points in his first five games with the Penguins post-arrival. Given Chinakhov's issues with inconsistency, things could go sideways at any moment, and it shouldn't be all that surprising if they do.

But things feel different with Chinakhov. For one - unlike Tomasino and others who have been in a similar situation with the Penguins - he isn't a one-dimensional player.

His speed is just on the periphery of the top-10 in the league, according to NHL Edge data, and his max skating speed this season of 23.6 mph is in the league's 98th percentile. In addition, Chinakhov plays a 200-foot game, showing a conscientiousness in the defensive zone and an ability and willingness to backcheck. 

And then, there's his shot.

No, this isn't just your above average shot in the National Hockey League. Chinakhov has a devastating wrister that defies logic and seemingly breaks the sound barrier, as it has clocked as high as 99.03 mph this season and as high as 101.56 in his career - both of which are in the 99th percentile of the league. He has clocked the fourth-highest shot by a forward this season and is right in the mix with the hardest-shooting defensemen in the league, who largely populate the hardest shot list. 

But the thing that's so impressive is that this is Chinakhov's wrist shot. The vast majority of the league's hardest shots are slap shots, and that's not the case with his. In fact, every other shot in the league harder than his this season in the top-10 - and each shot by the three forwards ahead of him on the list - have been slap shots.

Chinakhov's lethal wrist shot is a rare gift, and it's not something that has been commonplace at all in this league. Many compare his wrist shot to Joe Sakic's, whose 625 career goals rank 17th all-time, and there have also been comparisons to former Penguin Alexei Kovalev, who also had a devastating, heavy wrister.

So why might Chinakhov be the real deal?

Well, it's quite simple. He a multifaceted player, he has already developed some very real chemistry with Malkin and Novak, and he has a finishing touch that simply cannot be taught. He could stand to work on his shot accuracy, but as long as he keeps firing pucks at the net, more than enough are bound to go in because of his shot.

And it helps to play with two guys who can distribute the puck the way that Malkin and Novak are capable of. All of his goals with the Penguins have been a result of his shot, and if anything, it might benefit him to venture to the danger areas and the net-front more in order to maximize his production.

In any case, there's a chance that Chinakhov may end up being a very, very good find for Dubas and for the Penguins. Obviously, there's no guarantee that he ends up a 30-plus goal-scorer, or even that he ends up being an impact top-six player for the Penguins.

But with the talent and the gift that Chinakhov possesses, it's really not hard to imagine him thriving in Pittsburgh and being an integral part of their stretch run to the playoffs.

Takeaways: Penguins Make Statement With 6-2 Stomping Of OilersTakeaways: Penguins Make Statement With 6-2 Stomping Of OilersThe Pittsburgh Penguins won their third straight game when they ousted the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in commanding fashion - showing that there may just be something special about this team.

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