There is a trade to report in the National Hockey League today between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets involving a former first-round pick with plenty of upside.
The Penguins have officially acquired Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and in return, have sent a second-round pick (originally belonging to the St. Louis Blues) in the 2026 NHL Draft, 2027 third-round draft pick (originally belonging to the Washington Capitals) and forward Danton Heinen.
Heinen was immediately assigned to the American Hockey League affiliate Cleveland Monsters.
In a statement released to the media by Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell, they are now armed with additional draft capital as well as a depth forward in Heinen.
“This trade provides us with additional draft capital over the next two years and a good two-way player in Danton Heinen that will add to our organizational depth at the forward position,” said Waddell. “With regard to Yegor, we believe a change of scenery was in the best interests of both he and the club and we thank him for his contributions over the past five seasons.”
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New Pittsburgh Penguins forward Yegor Chinakhov Is A Former First Round Draft Pick Of The Blue Jackets
Chinakhov, who is a native of Omsk, Russia, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the opening round (20th overall) despite being widely projected as a second or third round selection.
Chinakhov was eventually signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the Blue Jackets, with whom he would spend the first several seasons of his NHL career. However, multiple injuries resulted in several missed games for the Russian forward, who has yet to appear in a full NHL campaign.
He’s tallied three goals with three assists in the 29 games that he’s played so far this season, and has scored a total of 37 goals with 40 assists in 204 career games, all with Columbus.
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Yegor Chinakhov Requested A Trade From The Blue Jackets
Before this season began, Chinakhov officially requested to be moved from the Blue Jackets, citing disagreements with head coach Dean Evason.
Shumi Babaev, Chinakhov’s agent, announced his client’s intentions on a social media post on Jul. 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. “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.”
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Yegor Chinakhov Joins A Multitude Of Young Players In Pittsburgh
Chinakhov is the newest young player within the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, joining names like Ben Kindel and Rutger McGroarty.
The Penguins clearly believe that Chinakhov has a chance to unlock his potential now that he’s in Pittsburgh, and that first-year head coach Dan Muse should be able to avoid the kind of disagreements that he experienced under Evason and the Blue Jackets.
It’s also the second trade that the Penguins have made this month, as they traded goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers; they received goaltender Stuart Skinner and defenseman Brett Kulak in return.
Pittsburgh Penguins Trade For Former First Round Draft Pick