The Vancouver Canucks announced on Tuesday the acquisition of defenseman Mark Friedman and forward Ty Glover in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Canucks are sending defenseman Jack Rathbone and forward Karel Plasek to Pittsburgh in exchange for Friedman and Glover. There were no draft picks included in the trade.
Friedman is expected to boost Canucks’ blue-line depth, something the team has been looking for since the start of the 2023-24 NHL season. The 27-year-old player played 65 games in the NHL and has 12 career points. Glover, on the other hand, is more of a project, considering he has yet to make his NHL debut.
The Penguins, on the other hand, get a talented prospect in Rathbone. The 95th overall pick in 2017 was a standout performer during his time at Harvard University, but his transition to the pros was bumpy as he struggled with inconsistency and injury. He has five points in 28 NHL games with Canucks.
Finally, Plasek will play in the United States for the first time this season. He played in his native Czech Republic last season, contributing six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 31 games with HC Olomouc.
“I would like to thank Jack for all the time he spent with our organization and always pushing hard when competing for a spot,” said Canucks’ general manager Patrik Allvin in a statement. “It has 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.”
