Pittsburgh Penguins playoff push fueled by Egor Chinakhov with 11 goals since trade

The 25-year-old pending RFA carries a highly manageable $2.1M AAV. Originally a 2020 Columbus first-round pick, he provides the exact transition game and cost-controlled production Pittsburgh desperately needed before the deadline.

Pittsburgh shipped out Danton Heinen and future draft capital back in December to land him. It is already looking like the steal of the winter.

He buried 11 goals in his first 25 games wearing black and gold. That production rate is keeping this roster afloat while Sidney Crosby recovers from his Olympic knee injury.

The chemistry with Evgeni Malkin is undeniable. The veteran center has primary assists on five of those recent tallies, completely turning back the clock.

Finding a sniper for the middle six was Kyle Dubas' primary objective. Management handled that business two months early, beating the trade deadline rush entirely.

Chinakhov operates with exceptional speed through the neutral zone. He forces defensemen onto their heels and creates necessary operating space for his linemates.

He went +1 with a clutch power-play goal against Boston over the weekend. That 200-foot effort forces opposing coaches to gameplan for multiple scoring lines.

Muse successfully retooled this forward group on the fly. The coaching staff knows this core needs dynamic energy to survive a grueling seven-game series this spring.

Columbus gave up on the Russian forward because of a brief offensive drought. Their impatience is a massive gain for Pittsburgh in a tight Metropolitan Division race.

He holds a steady +4 rating over his last ten appearances. He is consistently turning defensive zone faceoffs into clean, controlled entries.

This restricted free agent is playing for a lucrative extension. Expect him to empty the tank down the stretch run heading into April.

The front office knew they could not rely entirely on their aging core for another two grueling months. Acquiring this specific winger sets the franchise up for a much deeper run.

If this top-six deployment holds up, this team has the firepower to challenge anybody in the East. Muse finally has the offensive balance he demanded all season.

Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Ville Koivunen anchors remaining Jake Guentzel assets with an $870K cap hit