Confirmed with Link: Plotnikov traded to Arizona for Matthias Plachta, 2017 conditional 7th-round pick

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Penguins hired Sullivan on December 12. Plotnikov played December 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 27, 31 and Jan 2, 5, 6.

By my memory Sullivan would bench him for most of the games. I don't remember him ever playing more than 8 minutes under Sullivan. I don't think Sullivan ever had him in his plans for the Penguins.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I don't blame him one bit for wanting away from this gongshow of an org.

 

[vikingGoalie]

I think that makes more sense. That Sullivan played him, he sat a game then Plots makes a comment about wanting to go back home.

Sullivan leaves me with the impression that he is a straight shooter and lets people know exactly where they stand with him. (in fact players have said this is the case).

So could've been sullivan sat him, told him what he needed to work on or why he was sitting and Plots responded with a "fine I want to go back to russia then".

We don't know but some variant on that seems to make more sense.

 

[themethod7]

They could trade him. They could release him. They could play him (gasp) over the legend that is Kevin Porter. Nope, we'll just imprison him in a new city on a strange continent while he watches game after game from the press box.

And the Penguins wonder why free agents have tended to be apprehensive about signing here.

You forgot the part where the fans turn on him when he asks to be sent home for not being enough of a MURICAN - just shut up and put your head down, work hard, pull yourself by your bootstraps and live the dream in the land of opportunity.

 

[The Greatest 101]

I can see both Sullivan and Plotnikov's perspectives here.

What I don't get is why they wouldn't just let him go.

The pens want to show how tough they are.

 

[Farnham4top6]

Considering KHL transfer deadline seams to be 25 December, he would most likely had said that before. But considering MS played him in half of the games after the deadline, it seems very fishy.

 

[DegenX]

Smirk?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

So you are going to give the organization the benefit of the doubt? I guess Despres was a drunken gambling idiot after all.

I guess this is why stuff like this bothers me a little bit. Plotnikov ultimately isn't going to make or break the Penguins. Perhaps make them a little better should everything have gone right? Maybe. But it's that this team has well-established track record of incompetence, mismanagement and poor coaching, by now. And this situation has "weird" written all over it. Why would we ever give them the benefit of the doubt, at this point?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

By my memory Sullivan would bench him for most of the games. I don't remember him ever playing more than 8 minutes under Sullivan. I don't think Sullivan ever had him in his plans for the Penguins.

Sullivan played Plotnikov 10+ minutes in 5 of the 10 games. Johnston played him 10+ minutes in 9 out of 22 games. He only hit the 12 minute mark in 5 games this season, twice with Sullivan and thrice with Johnston.

His ice time was rather consistent until he was outright benched. He spent most of November playing 6-7 minutes a night.

 

[Shady Machine]

Here's the confusing part if we are to buy this rift. Why not send Plots to the AHL? Then he could have used his opt out clause and we'd be done with it. If the guy really said he wanted to go back to Russia (and was serious about it as JR wants the fans to believe), then no team is giving up an asset for him.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Smirk?

Smirk. Well, that could be a journalist taking dramatic license and they're not supposed to do that ****. So I'm officially rubbed the wrong way because that **** comes off as poisoning the well and the Pens roll that way.

The biggest question is why he's still ****ing here if he said he wanted to go back to Russia. He has that KHL out, send him to the AHL and he'll be gone. If he's that bad, make him go away.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Might as well post this here as well.

Reminder that Kevin Porter has 38 GP, with 0 goals and 3 assists. All the while being less physical, smaller, and a worse skater.

And no, it's not because Porter's a center and we have injuries. And no, I don't think Plotnikov is some kind of great player being wasted, just a better option than Porter.

Coach, YOU're a better option than Porter!!!

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Sullivan played Plotnikov 10+ minutes in 5 of the 10 games. Johnston played him 10+ minutes in 9 out of 22 games. He only hit the 12 minute mark in 5 games this season, twice with Sullivan and thrice with Johnston.

His ice time was rather consistent until he was outright benched. He spent most of November playing 6-7 minutes a night.

Yeah, I decided to check the box scores to confirm my memory. He was playing about 10 minutes. I still don't get it. For most of his games under Sullivan the whole team was struggling to adapt to Sullivan's completely different system from MJ's.

 

[Shady Machine]

Smirk. Well, that could be a journalist taking dramatic license and they're not supposed to do that ****. So I'm officially rubbed the wrong way because that **** comes off as poisoning the well and the Pens roll that way.

The biggest question is why he's still ****ing here if he said he wanted to go back to Russia. He has that KHL out, send him to the AHL and he'll be gone. If he's that bad, make him go away.

That's exactly what it is. How many other quotes have we gotten from Plots? How many times has he been requested for interviews? Did he even understand the question?

 

[Zen Arcade]

I guess this is why stuff like this bothers me a little bit. Plotnikov ultimately isn't going to make or break the Penguins. Perhaps make them a little better should everything have gone right? Maybe. But it's that this team has well-established track record of incompetence, mismanagement and poor coaching, by now. And this situation has "weird" written all over it. Why would we ever give them the benefit of the doubt, at this point?

I think in this case it's less about giving them the benefit of the doubt than it is thinking they wouldn't bother to lie in this case.

The Despres trade had all sorts of people freaking out, the casual fan has already forgotten Plotnikov exists.

I don't doubt their ability to do dumb **** for no reason, but they could've just let this story stay buried with no real consequences.

 

[flaneur]

why did JR bring this up? Is he throwing Plotnikov under the bus in order to protect Sullivan from criticism? Is he paving the way for a trade? Was he simply stupid with his words and said too much without any further nefarious reasons?

I feel for Plotnikov. Even if he said what JR said he said, I get it. Being an expat is hard and everyone gets bouts of homesickness in their first year away. Plus it must be infuriating to be constantly benched for scrubs.

 

[billybudd]

Does Rutherford specify which coach? Because the last time Plotnikov could be argued to have had a pretty good five week run, 3 of those weeks were in camp.

Here's the confusing part if we are to buy this rift. Why not send Plots to the AHL? Then he could have used his opt out clause and we'd be done with it. If the guy really said he wanted to go back to Russia (and was serious about it as JR wants the fans to believe), then no team is giving up an asset for him.

Must think they can get something in a trade for him. Of course, now that JR's telling people the guy wants to go back to Russia, that probably just become impossible. So, I don't have a good answer for why they don't just let him go.

 

[Shady Machine]

I think in this case it's less about giving them the benefit of the doubt than it is thinking they wouldn't bother to lie in this case.

The Despres trade had all sorts of people freaking out, the casual fan has already forgotten Plotnikov exists.

I don't doubt their ability to do dumb **** for no reason, but they could've just let this story stay buried with no real consequences.

Why bring it up at all then? There was no reason to really answer that way. Just let it be.

 

[DegenX]

Smirk. Well, that could be a journalist taking dramatic license and they're not supposed to do that ****. So I'm officially rubbed the wrong way because that **** comes off as poisoning the well and the Pens roll that way.

The biggest question is why he's still ****ing here if he said he wanted to go back to Russia. He has that KHL out, send him to the AHL and he'll be gone. If he's that bad, make him go away.

I'm picking up what you're laying down, friend.

Seriously, they spent zero assets in acquiring him. If he wants out, waive him and let him use his out clause. The organization gains a contract spot, potentially saves a little over $300K and looks like nice guys. Instead, they look like dicks on a power trip. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

 

[Waffle Fries]

why did JR bring this up? Is he throwing Plotnikov under the bus in order to protect Sullivan from criticism? Is he paving the way for a trade? Was he simply stupid with his words and said too much without any further nefarious reasons?

I feel for Plotnikov. Even if he said what JR said he said, I get it. Being an expat is hard and everyone gets bouts of homesickness in their first year away. Plus it must be infuriating to be constantly benched for scrubs.

And again, this is why I'd like to hear the context in the interview.

 

[sf expat71]

Smirk?

Gotta love JBomb. Nary a soul in the Pgh media aside from him capable of asking tough-ish questions, apparently.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The organization just makes themselves look petty. This organization (the people running it) really are unlikable.

 

[Farnham4top6]

Something is very strange about this either MS played him for atleast 5 games after he wanted to go home to Russia or Plotnikov wants to leave pittsburgh so much that he doesn't care about not playing anymore this season.

That's if there is any truth to this.

 

[66-30-33]

Think it's pretty obvious he wants out. He signed here thinking he would be given a shot and both ****ing coaches screw him over. I'd demand out aswell...that's pretty much a year off hockey. If i am an overseas FA i'd pick Pens last, hell any non NHL FA. Pens ****ed themselves...once again. You would think you learn from mistakes but not this org, they don't even think they are doing anything wrong.

 

[66-30-33]

The organization just makes themselves look petty. This organization (the people running it) really are unlikable.

Then you got that Bylsma ****, wont fire him untill Caps have a coach so he wont go there...wtf? bunch of *****s we got here.