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Kyle Dubas discusses why the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to trade for Yegor Chinakhov
Photo credit: Daily Faceoff
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has gone on record and explained why he pulled the trigger for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov.
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a trade with the divisional foe Columbus Blue Jackets today, as they acquired forward Yegor Chinakhov for forward Danton Heinen, a second round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft.
Not long after the move, the Penguins accommodated Chinakhov by putting Adam Graves on the waiver wire for the second time this year.
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, who already traded Tristan Jarry and Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers this year, discussed why the Penguins have taken a chance on Chinakhov.
First, Dubas referenced their belief in Chinakhov to develop into a versatile piece for the Penguins.
We believe Yegor has the potential to become a winger who can play anywhere across the top of the lineup.
That belief comes from the fact that he showed that ability on a consistent basis early last season over a long stretch of games before his season got off track for a variety of reasons.
That belief comes from the fact that he showed that ability on a consistent basis early last season over a long stretch of games before his season got off track for a variety of reasons.
Dubas believes that despite Chinakhov's previous struggles it is up to the Penguins' staff to put him in a position to succeed.
We must create the right environment, and he needs to put in the work with our staff that will allow him to be at his best very consistently
Anytime a player has public issues with their team, we do a lot of digging to figure out what has truly gone on.
In this case, what was more important to us was that Yegor reported to camp and continued to work hard despite the opportunity not being what he wanted.
As for moving forward, we expect him to earn great opportunity and then make the most of it. - Kyle Dubas
Anytime a player has public issues with their team, we do a lot of digging to figure out what has truly gone on.
In this case, what was more important to us was that Yegor reported to camp and continued to work hard despite the opportunity not being what he wanted.
As for moving forward, we expect him to earn great opportunity and then make the most of it. - Kyle Dubas
Pending RFA Yegor Chinakhov Was Traded To The Penguins
Chinakhov is a pending RFA at the end of the year, playing in the final season of his contract with an AAV (average annual value) of $2.1 million.
So far this year, he has six points (3G, 3A) in 29 games while seeing his ice time drop from just under 16 minutes a game last year to just over 10 minutes a game this year.
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 29 | 166 ANSWERS Kyle Dubas discusses why the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to trade for Yegor Chinakhov Will the Yegor Chinakhov trade pay off for the Penguins? | ||
| Yes | 137 | 82.5 % |
| No | 29 | 17.5 % |
| List of polls | ||