Penguins Trade: Get Rathbone, Plasek from Canucks; Friedman Goes to Vancouver
The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired a pair of minor-leaguers from Vancouver for two who have been with their American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre.
The Canucks gave them defenseman Jack Rathbone and forward Karel Plasek in exchange for feisty defenseman Mark Friedman and forward Ty Glover.
Rathbone, 24, is 5-foot-10, 177 pounds. and has two goals and three assists in 28 career NHL games. He had one goal in two games with the Canucks’ AHL team in Abbotsford and has been assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Rathbone skates well and plays an up-tempo game, but his modest size has limited his effectiveness in the defensive zone.
“I would like to thank Jack for all the time he spent with our organization and always pushing hard when competing for a spot,” Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said, in a statement released by the team. “It’s been a tough couple of years for him and this will give him a fresh start. The two players coming back in this trade will add to our depth as we continue to look at ways to improve our organization.”
Plasek, 23, will join the Penguins’ ECHL affiliate in Wheeling. He had six goals and nine assists in 31 games with HC Olomouc in Czechia last season.
Friedman’s aggressive style made him popular with a segment of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ fan base, but he was pushed down the organizational depth chart by a number of acquisitions made in the wake of Kyle Dubas being named the team’s president of hockey operations and GM.
Categorized:Penguins
It would be interesting to see what Friedman can do with more NHL time; I hope he gets it.
Dubas keep cleaning Hextal house. I liked Friedman he was the only pest on the team.
Dubas is exactly what Pens organization needed and he is not afraid to make changes. I believe once he gets his drafted players in place , his approach may become more measured. Until then he has 3 more years with core, then we will see what he has constructed as a team.Good so Far!
This trade feels more about giving Friedman a new start than anything else really. You suggested they kept Shea perhaps partly because Friedman might have grumbled about being the 7th or 8th D. Was that just conjecture, Dan, or is it possible Friedman asked out or was brooding in WBS?
Rakell was the only good acquisition by the Hextall administration. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.
An exchange of tweener defenseman. Hopefully the change of organizations can help both.
Got nothing for something. Sullivan was never on board with Friedman.
Does this also clear up space on the 50(?) limit NHL contracts limit? The Pens were pretty close to that limit
Why was Sullivan so down on Friedman? Was it because he didn’t move the puck well? Did he make mental errors in the defensive zone?
Maybe Sullivan felt uncomfortable with Friedman being a bit of a loose cannon.
Weird that Vancouver traded to get him when they could have gotten him for nothing when he went on waivers.
May have wanted to clear the players given…. Other than that can’t think of a reason. hope all 4 players benefit from the change
why trade for Plasek and then dump him?