Trade Grades: Did Kyle Dubas Overpay to Acquire Yegor Chinakhov?

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins struck on a rare in-division trade on Monday afternoon, centered around disgruntled forward Yegor Chinakhov.

Full details later revealed a return of Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick, all going back to Columbus for their former first-round selection (21st overall in 2020).

---

Chinakhov had been rumored to want a change of scenery for quite some time, so his reduced role and lack of production to start the season only reaffirmed that it would soon be coming. Several teams—including the Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks—were reportedly interested, but it was Kyle Dubas and the Penguins who ultimately came out of left field to land him.

The big question now: did Pittsburgh pay too much to make it happen? Let’s break it down with trade grades for both sides.

Columbus Blue Jackets: A-

GM Don Waddell—and most of the league, for that matter—knew Chinakhov’s time as a Blue Jacket was all but over. Yet, even while operating from a position of weakness, he still managed to recoup two valuable assets in return.

Landing both a second- and third-round pick for a former first-rounder whose career high is just 29 points five years into his NHL career is solid business, all things considered.

The only reason Columbus doesn’t grade out any higher is that a highly drafted player wanted out at just 24 years old—and he still has the talent to grow into what he was projected to be. That said, the Blue Jackets are loaded with young talent—particularly up front—which played a significant role in Chinakhov’s departure.

All in all, turning a difficult situation into the best possible return—assets that can now be used to address other areas of the roster via draft or trade—should be viewed as a clear success.

Pittsburgh Penguins: B

At some point, Dubas was going to have to cash in on his stockpile of second-round picks, but that feels like a steep price to pay for what is still a bit of a reclamation project in Chinakhov. Add a third-rounder on top, and it seems as if Pittsburgh had to pay an in-division tax—one they apparently were willing to swallow to get their guy.

Even the PR team hinted at that, emphasizing how many draft picks the organization still has over the next three years, almost as if to soften the blow of the return heading out the door for a player that isn’t all that exciting of a get.

Chinakhov does have legitimate untapped upside and fits the Penguins’ goal of getting younger while maximizing the final years of Sidney Crosby’s career, so there’s a pathway for this deal to look better as it ages should he settle in as a productive middle-six forward.

However, that’s where the problem lies. You would have thought that package could land a player with a much higher ceiling than that, which is why this ultimately feels like a bit of an overpay. Especially when you consider that just a year ago, Dubas acquired former first-rounder Philip Tomasino (24th overall in 2019) from Nashville for nothing more than a fourth-round pick.

Next: Analyst Predicts Auston Matthews Trade to Sharks for Top Prospect