Penguins lock in Egor Chinakhov for three more seasons, extend Arturs Silovs for a year

The Pittsburgh Penguins avoided the arbitration process tied to their restricted free agents by agreeing to contract extensions, headlined by forward Egor Chinakhov and goaltender Arturs Silovs. The moves remove an immediate source of uncertainty for the Penguins as they build their club for the next NHL season, and they also report that management views both players as part of the team’s near-term plans.

According to the Penguins’ announcement, Chinakhov has been signed to a three-year contract that runs through the 2028-29 season with an average annual value of $6.25 million. Silovs, the other featured name, agreed to a one-year contract that carries an average annual value of $2.8 million and runs through the 2026-27 season. The team also reported deals for two additional restricted free agents, forward David Gustafsson (one year, $850,000 AAV) and goaltender Joel Blomqvist (two years, $875,000 AAV).

Chinakhov, 25, arrives at this extension after producing his most productive NHL stretch to date. The Penguins said he posted new career highs in games played (72), goals (21), assists (21), and points (42) split between Columbus and Pittsburgh. In addition, after the Penguins acquired him on December 29, he recorded 36 points on 18 goals and 18 assists in 43 games, and his goal and point totals ranked third on the team over that span. The team also noted that he appeared in six Stanley Cup playoff games.

The extension reflects a more stable role for Chinakhov as a middle-six contributor with size and finishing ability. At the time of the signing, Pittsburgh listed him at 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, and the team reported he has played five NHL seasons with 247 career games and 113 career points (55 goals, 58 assists). His hockey path includes professional experience in Russia before reaching North America, highlighted by a 2020-21 season with Avangard Omsk in the KHL, where he recorded 17 points (10 goals, 7 assists) in 32 games and earned the Alexei Cherepanov Award as rookie of the year at age 19.

For Silovs, the one-year deal keeps Pittsburgh’s goaltending group structured while preserving flexibility. The contract itself runs through 2026-27, and the Penguins’ cap number for the year is set at $2.8 million. The practical impact is that the Penguins can continue developing and evaluating their goaltending depth without leaving the organization exposed to an arbitration outcome for a key position group.

The timing matters because it comes right as players and teams typically converge around arbitration deadlines for restricted free agents. With the Penguins’ announcement, that pressure is reduced, and the organization can move into preseason planning with fewer moving parts. The broader question that remains is how Pittsburgh’s forward group and goaltending depth will be configured once camp begins, especially with Chinakhov’s expanded commitment extending the team’s window to keep its recent offensive development together.

What to watch next is how these contracts translate into roles. Chinakhov’s scoring surge after the midseason acquisition makes him a candidate for consistent minutes, while Silovs’ one-year term suggests his 2026-27 season will continue to shape the team’s internal hierarchy at the position. In the near term, the Penguins’ off-season focus will be on completing the rest of the roster picture and ensuring the lineup is built with these extended contracts at the center.