Penguins attempting to trade Sergei Plotnikov prior to deadline, agent says

Sergei Plotnikov just wants to play NHL hockey.

So says his agent, Mike Liut, who told Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that his client - who's been a healthy scratch for 19 straight games - is hoping the Penguins can trade him prior to Monday's deadline.

"Sergei wants to play in the NHL, as evidenced by the amount of money he paid to be excused from the last year of his KHL contact," Liut stated Friday. "He understands that this will not happen in Pittsburgh and the Penguins have been attempting to trade Sergei, albeit a difficult task when a player is a healthy scratch for two months.

"If a trade is not available, he will have no choice but to return to Russia."

This comes on the same day Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said Plotnikov had fallen out of favor for suggesting he did indeed want to return to Russia.

The 25-year-old signed a one-year, $925,000 deal with the Penguins last summer that includes $2.85 million in potential performance bonuses.

He recorded two assists in 32 games before being benched.