A new pair of potential Pittsburgh Penguins trade targets has emerged in recent days, but those targets could not be more different.

Thursday, Russian agent Shumi Babaev used X to air some dirty laundry, and that Yegor Chinakhov wants out of Columbus because of a disagreement with coach Dean Evason. The Columbus Blue Jackets rallied around the extraordinary tragedy of losing Johnny Gaudreau last August, the result of being hit on his bicycle by a drunk driver, to have a season that exceeded all expectations. They were in the playoff hunt until late in the season.

However, Chinakhov, 24, was not a large part of the Blue Jackets’ season, as a back injury kept him out of the lineup for 39 games, and the coach kept him out for more games as a healthy scratch. In total, Chinakhov only played 30 games last season, scoring eight goals with seven assists.

So, he wants out.

Perhaps the young Russian winger with elite hands and offensive skills would like to be a linemate of an old Russian center?

Chinakhkov, who was Columbus’s first-round pick in 2020 (21st overall), is the perfect kind of Penguins trade target. He’s young, his potential is enormous, his NHL game is still largely undeveloped, and now he is on the outs with his team. It’s the perfect fit.

The situation is not entirely dissimilar to that of Philip Tomasino, whom the Penguins acquired last November for a mere fourth-round pick. Of course, Chinakhov will cost a bit more than Tomasino as Chinakhov’s skill set and potential are more significant than Tomasino’s, but in 175 games, the 6-foot-1, 201-pound left-handed winger has only 71 points, including scoring 34 goals.

Columbus GM Don Wadell was straightforward in responding to the public trade request.

“When he came back (from injury), he was not the Chinakhov we were hoping he was, and he got healthy scratched at the end,” Waddell told The Athletic. “That’s what happens with guys. He couldn’t handle that.”

Wadell also admitted to talking to teams and knew of the request before it went public. However, he bluntly responded to the agent, “I’m not just going to trade him because you said to trade him.”

It would seem the situation is both rife with irritation and ripe for the picking.

Yes, Columbus is looking to build on last season, in which they went 40-33-9, with 89 points and only two points out of a playoff spot. And it would seem the Penguins both have a plethora of draft picks to trade for Chinakhov. Or, if Columbus wants to swing for the fences like Oneil Cruz teeing up a batting practice toss, the Penguins also have a few veteran assets available who could help their cause, including a three-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, a goalie, or a bona fide scoring winger.

Trade Target #2: Carey Price

Hey, the Penguins need a starting goalie, right?

Actually, Price is on LTIR and effectively retired, but the Montreal Canadiens will carry the final year of his $7.5 million salary this season. On Sept. 1, he is due a $5 million bonus, reducing his paid salary to $2.5 million, and Montreal would greatly benefit by moving that dead salary off their cap structure.

Colleague Marc Dumont detailed the reasons it behooves Montreal to move Price off the books. It’s all about the Canadiens’ cap flexibility as they make a run at competing this season.

If the going rate to swallow about $3.5 million is a second-round pick, what is $7.5 million (with $2.5 million owed) worth? Perhaps about the same, if not a little more.

And there are only a couple of teams able to handle that sort of offload. The San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks are both under the cap, but Anaheim’s desire to win, combined with small-market economic forces, probably takes them out of the running unless Montreal really pays up.

That leaves San Jose and the Penguins.

Enough Crosby Talk

Sidney Crosby can only say so many times and so many ways that he is not leaving the Penguins. Sure, there might come a moment over the next two seasons when things get so bad that even Crosby has to tap out.

It’s possible, maybe.

No, Crosby signed up for this. He knew the score, and general manager Kyle Dubas has made a point to be transparent with Crosby about the process. Despite some assertions to the contrary, we do know what Crosby is thinking. He has asserted numerous times that he’s here for the long haul.

After the talk mushroomed back in January, a line of reporters were waiting after a practice in San Jose to ask Crosby the question again. A Penguins team source pulled a couple of reporters aside (including PHN) to say–No. Crosby isn’t thinking it, isn’t considering it, he’s getting a little annoyed by it, so just save your breath.

Crosby has been asked the question so many times that the notoriously polite superstar began to roll his eyes at successive attempts.

This latest round of trade talk began with one tweet from a former player turned media person. It has not emanated from Crosby or his people. Granted, Marc-Andre Fleury and Max Talbot saying they hoped he would chase a Stanley Cup one more time, even if it meant leaving, didn’t help the matter, but they were speaking personally. And they also admitted, he’s never leaving.

The team has quelled the talk numerous times, and I was the brave fellow who apologetically asked Dubas–one more time–at the Draft if he could respond to recent trade talk, and the answer was a shrug and “status quo.”

Just like the 25-year-old jock strap that hangs in his stall on practice days, no matter how many rips and tatters exist, and how much better it might be for both for something new, this arrangement is permanent.

There’s nothing more anyone can say. If Crosby waffles or opens the door, then all hell can break loose. But until then, he’s been crystal clear.

Let it go.