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The real reason Egor Chinakhov looks more dangerous in Pittsburgh than he ever did in Columbus
Photo credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images
Egor Chinakhov is scoring for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and it feels like the top-six winger the Blue Jackets kept waiting for finally showed up.
Through 12 games in Pittsburgh, Chinakhov has 5-1-6, with every point coming at even strength. That is the kind of signal you cannot fake.
The shot is the headline. He gets it off in a blink, especially off the rush, and it is beating goalies clean instead of living on greasy rebounds.
Columbus never gave him a stable runway. He bounced around, saw constant shuffles, and it is tough to build timing when your reads change every other night.
In Pittsburgh, the role is simple, go north, get open, shoot. The early chemistry, especially in spots next to Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak, has made his game look calmer.
What I like most is how the Penguins are meeting him with support on entries. He is not forced into hero hockey at the blue line.
He is also getting pucks in motion, not standing still waiting for a perfect setup. That keeps his release dangerous because defenders cannot get set.
Egor Chinakhov gives the Pittsburgh Penguins real punch
Pens fans have been burned by "reclamation projects" before, so the excitement comes with that familiar, nervous laugh.
The trade itself showed intent. Pittsburgh paid Danton Heinen plus a 2026 second and a 2027 third, because they believed the talent was sitting right there.
Chinakhov is 24, drafted in 2020, Round 1, by the Columbus Blue Jackets. That pedigree matters when you are betting on a breakout, not a hot week.
His cap hit sits around $2.1 million and he can become an RFA after the season, so this is a tryout with real leverage on both sides.
The "why" is pretty clear, Pittsburgh is letting him play fast and decisive, while Columbus kept him searching for a permanent identity.
If this pace holds even close, the Penguins suddenly have a new finisher who can tilt a line without needing the man advantage to pad the totals.
Either way, the next couple games will tell you if this is a heater, or the start of something Pittsburgh can build around.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 24|157 ANSWERS The real reason Egor Chinakhov looks more dangerous in Pittsburgh than he ever did in Columbus Is Egor Chinakhov truly better with the Pittsburgh Penguins than in Columbus? | ||
| Yes | 150 | 95.5 % |
| No | 7 | 4.5 % |
| List of polls | ||