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Dubas Addresses Chinakhov Issues, Sets Expectations
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- Dubas Addresses Chinakhov Issues, Sets Expectations
Yegor Chinakhov had a public falling out with Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason last season after Chinakhov returned from a back injury that cost him 39 games, only to find he did not have a lineup spot or a suitable role. In July, Chinakhov requested a trade.
Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins ' trade offer finally made it happen.
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Chinakhov, 24, requested a trade via social media post on July 17.
"I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade," Chinakhov said in the post through his agent. "I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here."
Monday, the Penguins surrendered a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-rounder, and Danton Heinen in exchange for the highly skilled winger whose ice time and production in Columbus were on a fourth-line level.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas took emailed questions from the four beat outlets covering the Penguins, including Pittsburgh Hockey Now, following the trade. He didn't gloss over Chinakhov's issues with Columbus and coach Dean Evason.
"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," Dubas wrote in reply to PHN's query. "As for moving forward, we expect him to earn great opportunity and then make the most of it."
This season, Chinakhov has averaged just over 10 minutes per game in a limited role and registered just six points (3-3-6) in 29 games.
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Chinakhov is also the type of young player that Dubas has been eager to acquire. High pedigree, high skill, but also in need of more opportunity, or simply available.
"He's a young player in his early 20s who has flashed great potential; so our development team and coaching staff will be tasked with getting his form to that level, Yegor matching the work that our staff will put in to match our belief in him, and everyone working together to stay there for a long time," Dubas wrote.
The Penguins' new left winger is 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, with plenty of skills in the offensive zone. He was Columbus's first-round pick in 2020 (21st overall), but has not yet excelled at the NHL level.
"What we like about Chinakhov is his size, speed, ability to get to the net with the puck, ability to shoot and score from distance, and we feel he adds a lot defensively when tracking back with speed," Dubas noted.
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The snow cyclone beginning to blanket much of the Midwest is causing travel issues, and Chinakhov was with Columbus in Ottawa when the trade was announced. Because of visa issues and travel, his availability for the Penguins' game on Tuesday is questionable.
Dubas also confirmed the Penguins will be waiving another player to make room on the 23-man roster. While the team has not announced the player, defenseman Ryan Graves no longer appears on the roster and has been designated "non-roster" to be waived on Tuesday.
One Dubas answer that might send the NHL trade rumors into overdrive was Dubas's response to concern over spending a pair of higher draft picks for Chinakhov.
"No hesitation," wrote Dubas. "We have a lot of draft picks, and we need to use them to procure high-potential young players."
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The Penguins still have 26 picks over the next three drafts, including 15 in the first three rounds. No team has more, which means Dubas has more chips left to play.
The post Dubas Addresses Chinakhov Issues, Sets Expectations appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now .
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