"As long as I have the opportunity, I will play in the NHL"

Russian striker Egor Chinakhov has signed a new contract with Pittsburgh. The new agreement with the 25-year-old striker runs until the end of the 2028/29 season, and the average salary will be $6.25 million per year. Last season was the best in Chinakhov's NHL career. He set personal records for the number of games played (72), goals (21), assists (21) and points scored (42), playing for Columbus and Pittsburgh. After being traded to the Penguins on December 29, the Russian scored 36 (18+18) points in 43 games — only two hockey players beat him in goals and performance during this period. Chinakhov spoke about his transformation after reuniting with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby in an interview with Izvestia and Sport-Express.

"There was a misunderstanding with the coaching staff at Columbus."

— You've made such a breakthrough in your career, even though it seemed like you'd end up playing in the NHL after Columbus. What has changed? Why did you play so well in Pittsburgh?

— Just a change of scenery, a fresh start. I feel a different kind of trust from the coaching staff, from the partners.

— Is everything really changing so dramatically?

— To be honest, yes. I'm surprised myself.

— Exactly one year ago, in an interview, you stated that you would demand an exchange from Columbus. As far as I understand, you started having difficulties after that: they read the interview, saw that you wanted an exchange, and the trust disappeared. Was there such a thing?

— Yes, it was. But that's okay. It probably should have happened anyway. Sooner is better than later.

— Why were you unhappy at Columbus?

— There were moments with the coaching staff, misunderstandings, and that's it.

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"In what way?" It's clear that maybe you don't need to tell the whole story, but at least in your role in the team?

— There must have been some incomprehensible decisions in my direction. But it's already been and gone.

— What was it about? I remember there was a discussion in America: Chinakhov wants to be exchanged, but the coach says that they trust him, let him show himself, and everything will be fine. Did you feel at that moment that you were really given a lot of chances?

- no. When they say they trust you, but they give you six minutes to play… It's hard to say something. Even if you spend those six minutes super — it doesn't matter.

"It was scary playing with the stars in Pittsburgh."

— What about the Pittsburgh? On the one hand, you come to a team that is not a favorite for various reasons. But there are masters there, and you fly on the ice and score. It's not just a change of scenery. Columbus and Pittsburgh are similar.

— Yes, the cities are nearby. But when a coach trusts you, they talk to you all the time, and they tell you after games, that's different.

At first, it was also scary to play with partners. Somewhere you won't give them the puck or something else. But they immediately made it clear that when you go out with Crosby or Malkin, you need to pay a little more attention to defense, because they don't practice it that way anymore. In general, it seems to me that this is a change of scenery and some kind of blank slate.

— I was really surprised that you started playing defense. At what point did this happen? Not after joining Pittsburgh, but also in Columbus?

"Back at Columbus." I don't remember exactly who was the coach then. Pascal Vincent, I think. He talked to me a lot about this topic: the sooner you get back on the defensive, get the puck, the sooner you'll go on the offensive. These words somehow stuck.

Bob Hartley and I talk a lot, he tells me a lot too. This is probably the main thing that I've been paying more attention to over the past two years than before. The game changes anyway, and you change yourself. You understand that this is necessary. I'm glad I came to this sooner rather than later.

— Tell me about Pittsburgh. There are great players there who are recognized all over the world. The same Crosby is an icon. How to interact with it?

— Honestly, I was afraid. But in general, this is generally the simplest person there is. You can communicate with him on any topic. He comes up, asks, helps in any way he can. And Malych is the same.

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— You just don't have to approach him?

— Yes, he'll do it himself.

— Are there any differences in the household organization of the club, or is everything the same?

— It was my first transition in general.

— If we compare Columbus and Pittsburgh?

— When I transferred, they immediately found an apartment for me, gave me a second replacement car until the family arrived. Everything is done for the players. It's the same at Columbus. It's just that they probably did a little more in Pittsburgh.

— Have you ever regretted moving to Pittsburgh?

"Not at all.

— But it was still a shock for you when the moment of the exchange had already come. Isn't that stressful?

— Yes, probably. But I've been really looking forward to this moment. When they said that I had been exchanged, but they had not yet told us where, we were worried. And then we found out that it was in Pittsburgh. Of course, the first day is always scary: new acquaintances. But in general, everything went very quickly.

— Until the last moment, you didn't know where you were going to be exchanged? Did you have any suggestions? Have you been asked?

— No, they didn't ask. I knew that they were very interested in me. When they called me and said: "You're not going to check out with us, we'll tell you the news tomorrow morning," I realized that they were probably changing. But they didn't say where. Then in the morning, the agent called and said, "That's it, to Pittsburgh."

— Do you have a feeling that you didn't break up with Columbus badly, but the relationship remained cold?

— No, I have no complaints at all, no questions for the club and the fans. There's a super organization there. Everything is top notch for the fans. I think I parted with the club perfectly.

— One of your problems was that you were being treated for the wrong diagnosis. Was this a problem for Columbus, the doctors?

"When was that?" It's already in the past.

— We know the example of Soshnikov, who was also treated for the wrong thing. There were moments with Tarasenko, which is probably the most striking example. Is this the general level of medicine in North America, in the NHL, or just one-time things?

— No, these are rather one-time items. It can be difficult to detect something. We understand that anyway. But these are one-time things. In principle, everything is fine.

— Is nothing bothering you at all now?

- no.

— You are very different from yourself two years ago. When something was bothering her, it was even visible on her face. Which treatment helped you in the end?

— Russian.

— They say that you didn't have very good relations with both Marchenko and Voronkov. You've been keeping yourself apart somehow.

"Who's talking?" We always communicated normally.

— Wasn't it the case that, for example, Swedes usually all together or Canadians in Russian clubs, but you didn't have close communication?

— No, we always communicated normally, there were no questions at all. Especially with Raven, everything was always fine. It's clear that I have a wife and a child, so I've started spending less time with everyone. But in general, this is normal.

— Do you like what Pittsburgh is turning into this year?

- yes. Our club was sold to new owners. So far, according to the interview and in general, according to what is happening, everything is great.

— And for beginners?

— Good beginners.

— What's it like to play with Malkin? They say he doesn't go to the center anymore.

— Sometimes he gets up. But rarely.

— Does he still have a vision of the site at the highest level?

- yes. He can't do everything so fast, but he can do it so precisely and elegantly that you can't tell how old he is.

— Have you discussed his incomprehensible removals and disqualifications?

— Yes, we discussed obscure deletions with him.

"Are you kidding?"

- of course.

— Has anything changed in your game for Pittsburgh besides trust?

"I don't think so. I just tried to play on my strengths.

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"It was important for me to sign a good contract for myself"

— I've seen the video and I've seen for myself that you're working very seriously on the cast. Do you keep going during the season too?

- yes. You can always come out to work with us: we have individual development coaches. A coach picks you up, and you go 15-20 minutes before the ice, practice. You say what you want, they tell you. They watch the game from above — not some tactical moments, but individual ones.

— What did they tell you?

— A lot of things: throws, snails in corners, wrestling, all that.

— I saw that you are working on skating in Russia. There is an opinion that a hockey player who has already passed a certain age will not change in any way.

— No, it will change. I just like it. I only have the second ice now. When you have time, why not work on skating, fix something a little? I used to work with this coach, but it was still a little worse for me. I feel much better on skates now.

— You are still friends with Arseniy Gritsyuk. There are two friends in Russian hockey, Shesterkin and Sorokin, who compete kindly with each other. Was it important for you to sign a contract higher than Gritsyuk's?

— It was important for me to sign a good contract for myself. I'm not trying to look up to anyone.

— Have you thought about changing the club and going somewhere else this time?

- no. I really enjoyed my time at Pittsburgh. Moreover, my daughter was born there. Supercity.

— What's good about Pittsburgh?

— I like it. We don't live in the center, but outside the city, near the training rink. Everything is there. It's not that small, you have to drive everywhere. I really like it: you get behind the wheel, you go somewhere with music. It's a thrill.

— And what is there that Omsk doesn't have?

— They didn't shoot Batman in Omsk.

— When our contract in the KHL ends, for example, Kantserov, he becomes a restricted free agent and has the opportunity to leave for the NHL. You had a good opportunity to return to the KHL right now.

— As long as I have the opportunity, I will play in the NHL.

- why? Not because of the money. You'd get some decent money here, too.

— I just like it. The level is high anyway.

— Ilyin replenished the Pittsburgh system. I watched the playoffs, and he looked really good at times. Have you been following him?

— I know who it is, but we didn't have time to cross paths.

— What would you advise him to break into the Pittsburgh lineup? He's very technical.

— Play on your strengths and that's it.