Egor Chinakhov draws comparisons to Pastrnak as his game blossoms in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Kevin Hayes, a healthy scratch in recent weeks, was strolling through the press box in Raleigh during a recent intermission. The veteran was just shaking his head.

“Unbelievable,” he muttered.

He was talking about Egor Chinakhov. Specifically, he was talking about Chinakhov’s release.

So is everyone else.

In a season that has witnessed the Penguins overcoming preseason predictions of doom to compete for a playoff spot, few players have impressed more than the 25-year-old Chinakhov. Acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in return for the rather reasonable haul of Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick, Chinakhov has been a sensation from the very beginning of his stint with the Penguins.

He’s provided instant offense, speed, and an overall game that has exceeded all expectations. Through 32 games with the Penguins, Chinakhov has produced 13 goals and 25 points. Extrapolated over 82 games, his pace equals 33 goals and 64 points.

Those numbers alone are plenty impressive, but when certain details are pinpointed, it looks like Chinakhov has only scratched the surface of what his talent could become.

The Penguins typically showcase forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell on the top power play, along with defenseman Erik Karlsson. Thus, Chinakhov and his rocket shot don’t see time with the first unit. Of his 13 goals with the Penguins, 12 have come at even strength.

But at some point this season or next, it would seem likely that Chinakhov will graduate to the top power play. His talent demands it.

“I’ll tell you who he reminds me of,” said Connor Clifton, a former member of the Boston Bruins. “He’s a lefty, obviously, but still, that shot reminds me of Pasta (David Pastrnak). When Pasta was a little younger, he shot the puck more. He can still shoot it, but now he’s this insane playmaker. But early on, he was just a shooter. He’d stand in that Ovi spot (left circle) and just let it fly. I’m telling you, the way Chinakhov shoots the puck, that’s what it reminds me of. There’s something different about the way it comes off his stick. So quick, that release. I’ve been playing against him for a couple of years but I never knew he had that shot. It’s incredible.”

Rakell, himself a sharpshooter with 250 goals on his NHL resume, smiles when asked about Chinakhov, who was a mystery to Rakell when he arrived in Pittsburgh.

“I didn’t know much about him at all,” Rakell said. “But I’ll tell you what: I love what I’m seeing. He’s got one of the hardest wrist shots I’ve ever seen.”

Chinakhov’s shot explodes off of his stick, but this is only part of what makes him so unique.

It’s one thing to have a lethal shot, but it’s another to showcase blazing speed. That’s the real game-changer for Chinakhov. His wheels requires NHL defensemen to back off and show respect, and when they do that, more room for his shot becomes available. It’s a simple formula.

“That’s part of what makes him special,” Ryan Shea said. “Yeah, the shot is incredible. But you’ve got to realize that this guy is skating close to 25 mph. So, as a defenseman, what are you supposed to do? Not many guys are that fast, see the ice like he does, and can shoot the puck like he can. Watch him with the puck, the way he goes east to west. When you’re trying to defend him, you have to worry about the shot, the straight-line speed and the ability to shift to the left or the right. There are only so many options you have when you’re trying to slow someone like him down.”

Players with such obvious offensive gifts who fell out of favor at previous stops often have glaring weaknesses in their game. Typically, they struggle defensively or aren’t willing to engage in physicality when necessary.

This isn’t the case with Chinakhov, however. His defensive work has actually been quite good.

“When we watch video, we see how good defensively he is,” Shea said. “He has a feel for what great offensive players are trying to do against us. It’s amazing how often he’ll get his stick on a puck to break up a chance, to break up a Grade-A chance. When I watch him play in the defensive zone, I see a lot of Rusty (Bryan Rust). He’s becoming that kind of a defensive player. And he’s no one-trick pony. Look at the forecheck, how he creates offense, how he takes hits to make plays. He does it all, this kid.”

Penguins players, to a man, shake their heads when asked why things wouldn’t have worked out for Chinakhov in Columbus. The Blue Jackets are one of hockey’s hottest teams and Chinahkov is one of the NHL’s hottest players. It could have been a perfect match on paper.

Instead, he very well could be facing Columbus in the first round of the playoffs.

“I don’t know what was going on there but we will very gladly take him,” Shea said. “He’s like a mini-Malkin.”

Skating with a playmaker would serve to benefit Chinakhov, naturally, and he and fellow Russian Malkin have forged an undeniable chemistry.

Chinakhov, though, isn’t reliant on the Penguins’ stars to produce. He’s only taken a handful of shifts with Crosby and has played eight of his 32 games with the Penguins when Malkin was either injured or suspended. In the eight games he has played without Malkin, Chinkhov has still managed two goals and nine points.

The Penguins are 18-7-7 with Chinakhov in the lineup. He hasn’t gone longer than five consecutive games without scoring a goal, a consistent source of offense.

“What an addition to this team he’s been,” Rakell said. “Man, is he good.”

So are the Penguins, and Chinakhov is a big reason for their success.

At 25, the Penguins believe they’ve found a potential star. For now, he’s producing offense at an impressive rate at even strength. It seems inevitable that sooner rather than later, he will find himself with Crosby and Karlsson on the top power-play unit. They are two of the NHL’s most gifted playmakers, which could make Chinakhov’s production skyrocket.

“Kudos to management for getting him for us,” Shea said. “He’s become a big part of this team. Good guy. Fits right in. And when he has the puck, I just feel better about this team.”

NOTES: The Penguins were given the day off on Monday in advance of their game on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche. Coach Dan Muse figures to provide an update on injured defenseman Ryan Shea after Tuesday’s morning skate. Shea was injured against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday and is currently considered day-to-day.