The Pittsburgh Penguins started off Trade Deadline Day by shipping offseason acquisition Sergei Plotnikov to the Arizona Coyotes for prospect Matthias Plactha and a seventh-round draft pick in 2017.
The Penguins signed Plotnikov in July after the Russian forward scored 15 goals and finished with 36 points in 56 games with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL last season.
In 32 NHL games with the Penguins, Plotnikov managed only two assists and last played on Jan. 6.
Touted as a physical player with some offensive upside, Plotnikov fell out of favor after Mike Sullivan took over as head coach in December, and a contingent of speedy Wilkes-Barre/Scranton call ups including Tom Kuhnhackl, Bryan Rust, Connor Sheary and Scott Wilson fit better in the Penguins lineup. Plotnikov missed the last 20 games as a healthy scratch.
Plachta, a native of Germany, boasts only two goals and seven points in 46 AHL games with the Springfield Falcons in 2015–16 and scored 14 goals and 37 points in 46 games in the top German league last season.
Realistically, the undrafted power forward only gives Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a needed extra body with Kuhnhackl, Sheary, Rust and Wilson still in Pittsburgh, and with little chance of a seventh rounder turning into anything significant, the trade indicates the Penguins, and likely Plotnikov, simply wanted to move on.
Interestingly, the Penguins play the Coyotes at home tonight, meaning Plotnikov needs only to move to the visiting locker room to potentially play against his now former club only a few hours after being dealt.
The Penguins likely remain in the market for a depth winger before the 3 p.m. trade deadline, but with little cap room and trading chips available do not be surprised if any further dealings fail to materialize.
