The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired defenseman Jack Rathbone and forward Karel Plasek from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Mark Friedman and Ty Glover, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas.
Rathbone, who will report to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League, is signed through the end of the 2023-24 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $850,000 at the NHL level. Plasek, who will report to the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, is also signed through the ’23-24 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $846,667 in the NHL.
Rathbone, 24, has spent the last four seasons in the Vancouver organization from 2020-23. This season, he has suited up for two games with the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL, tallying one goal.
In 28 career NHL games, the 5-foot-10, 177-pound defenseman has recorded two goals, three assists and five points. In 86 career AHL games with Abbotsford and the Utica Comets, Rathbone has tallied 18 goals, 46 assists and 64 points. He was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2021-22 after leading all team defensemen in goals (10), assists (30) and points (40) in 39 games.
Prior to turning professional, the Boston, MA native played two seasons of collegiate hockey at Harvard University, registering 14 goals, 39 assists and 53 points in 61 career games. Rathbone was originally drafted in the fourth round (95th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft by Vancouver.
Plasek, 23, spent the 2022-23 season with HC Olomouc of Czechia, recording six goals, nine assists and 15 points in 31 games. In 142 career Czechia games with HC Olomouc and HC Kometa Brno, the 6-foot, 181-pound forward has tallied 17 goals, 20 assists and 37 points. He has also suited up for eight career AHL games with Abbotsford during the 2021-22 season.
The native of Prerov, Czechia has represented his home country at two World Junior Championships in 2019 and ’20, as well as the ’18 World Under-18 Junior Championship.
Plasek was originally drafted in the sixth round (175th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft by Vancouver.
