Egor Chinakhov continues his rampage hitting 20 goal mark

It was all Tampa Bay as the bolts took down the Penguins on Thursday night in Tampa by a score of 6-3 and managed to hand the Penguins an unfortunate loss that would have put the Penguins over the top and essentially lock up a playoff spot.

Egor Chinakhov continues to be an absolute force every time he steps on the ice and he has been lights out on the score-sheet as he was able to tuck two more goals against Tampa, one beautiful backhand top shelf individual effort to give the Penguins their only lead in the hockey game in the first period and he also scored an angry garbage time goal with one second left in the game.

Those two goals now has Chinakhov at the 20 goal mark for the first time in his career. His career high in goals prior was 16 in the 2023-24 season.

Chinakhov when the Penguins acquired him on December 29, 2025, Egor had a lone three goals and three assist in 29 games played and buried in the Columbus Blue Jackets fourth line with Dean Evason as head coach.

Since coming over to the Penguins squad, he has 17 goals in 38 games and is on a full 30-40 goal pace if he were with the team for the entire season. Kyle Dubas and Dan Muse have maximized the potential out of Chinakhov and allowed him to properly break out in the right environment and system in the NHL. It has taken Chinakhov around five and a half years to make his full mark but Pittsburgh has been paying dividends for his game and style of play.

Chinakhov is in the last year of his deal and will be a pending RFA in the off-season with his 20 goals looking to secure him a massive payday by the Penguins in the off-season. Replicating the success he's had so far with the team this season will be hard to do, but he fits the entire mold of the Kyle Dubas plan. Dubas might want to veer off the plan and lock Chinakhov up long term as the cap is going up and if he can continue to produce, then you have no choice but to lock him up to a five to six year deal.

If the Penguins do somehow make the playoffs, the other half of his contract will be more than likely based off his play in the playoffs and how he adapts to the pressure and environment of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey.