Vitali Pinchuk was going to be a strong offensive contributor for the Nashville Predators after signing at the conclusion of last season. The undrafted Belarusian was a three-time KHL All-Star and averaged more than a point per game last season for Dinamo Minsk, recording 31 goals and 35 assists. By all accounts, he was ready to contribute in the NHL, but Andrew Brunette hasn't really given him that chance.
Through five games with Nashville, Pinchuk has just one assist. The 24-year-old will need time to adjust, but if he isn't getting a chance to learn on the fly, his chances of becoming something are low. If he is going to really break out, he'll need a team that isn't afraid to give him time to work through growing pains, which is why he may be looking for a new opportunity, according to Elliotte Friedman via Sportsnet.
""Vitali Pinchuk came to Tennessee with much fanfare, but it's been a rough start, with one assist in five games. A quick change of scenery might be coming here.""Elliotte Friedman
The early returns admittedly haven't been great, with a 33.7% xGF through five games. That number should creep closer to league average as he gets more opportunities, but if Brunette was already skeptical of the player, he hasn't really done anything to earn chances. He actually started strong in his first two games, but his play has been dropping off since then, as well as his ice time.
Vitali Pinchuk's trade value for Predators
Pinchuk hasn't done enough to justify a big return from another organization, and Chris MacFarland doesn't really have much leverage here. If they don't play him, the player will likely ask to return to Russia at some point, so the Predators may have to accept whatever late-round pick or low-end prospect they can get.
Looking around the league, would a team like the Minnesota Wild, with their growing Russian contingent, be a good fit for Pinchuk? They do need more center depth, and I don’t think MacFarland would be overly worried about trading him to a Central Division rival.
Unfortunately, it isn't working out for Nashville, as a team heading toward a mini-rebuild could use a 24-year-old center who has already been a point-per-game player in a professional league. Whether MacFarland holds on to him until they have a head coach who can better work with young players or capitalizes on a trade now, Pinchuk's future is cloudy.
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