The Pittsburgh Penguins surprised everyone last season by sneaking into the playoffs. And one of the biggest reasons they got there wasn’t even on the roster in October.
Egor Chinakhov, picked up in a December trade with Columbus, signed a three-year contract worth $18.75 million on Sunday. The deal pays him $6.25 million per season, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The team officially announced the signing but left the financial details to Friedman’s reporting.
Chinakhov was a first-round pick by the Blue Jackets in 2020, but things never really clicked for him in Ohio. He showed flashes but never consistent production. Columbus sent him to Pittsburgh in exchange for Danton Heinen, a second-round pick, and a third-round pick back in December.
That trade changed everything for the 24-year-old winger.
Numbers Tell the Story
Before the trade, Chinakhov’s career-high in goals was 16, set over 53 games in 2023-24. After putting on a Penguins sweater, he scored 18 goals in just 43 games. He added 18 assists too, slotting perfectly into Dan Muse’s system as a middle-six forward who could create offense and play responsible defense.
His postseason was quiet — no points in six games against the Rangers — but the organization clearly saw enough to invest.
The Penguins gave up real assets to get him, and he turned into one of the best midseason acquisitions in the league last year. This contract keeps him locked up through what’s likely the final stretch of Sidney Crosby’s prime.
Pittsburgh entered last season with zero expectations for the first time in Crosby’s career. That’s not the case anymore. Fans expect another playoff run after last year’s surprise berth.
Risk and Reward
Chinakhov’s regular-season production makes this deal look like a steal. But if his postseason struggles become a pattern, the Penguins could be in trouble. He went completely silent when the games mattered most, and that’s the part of the season where Pittsburgh needs him most.
Still, at $6.25 million per year for three years, it’s a manageable number. The cap is climbing, and wingers with his shot and skating ability don’t come cheap on the open market. If he keeps scoring at the rate he did after the trade, this contract will age well.
The Penguins bet on him once when they traded for him. Now they’re betting on him again, and for a lot more money.
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