Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins, in a move to bring in more NHL-level youth, on Monday acquired winger Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Danton Heinen and draft picks.
Chinakhov, 24, was a first-round pick, 21st overall, by the Blue Jackets in 2020. He has 37 goals, 77 points in 204 NHL games, but he has had a prickly relationship with Columbus coach Dean Evason and reportedly has asked for a trade over the past several months.
The 6-foot-1, 203-pound Russian has three goals, three assists in 29 games this season.
The Penguins sent Heinen — who had just cleared waivers and was headed to the AHL — along with a 2026 second-round draft pick and a 2027 third-rounder.
Chinakhov is signed through this season with a cap hit of $2.1 million. He will be eligible for restricted free agency next summer.
Penguins president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas has stockpiled a plethora of draft picks in coming years. He still has 24 draft picks over the next three summers, including 19 in the first three rounds.
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