Pens Trade Arizona For Rob Klinkhammer
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have acquired forward Rob Klinkhammer and a conditional 2016 draft pick from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Philip Samuelsson.
Executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford made the announcement.
Klinkhammer, 28, has played the past three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes.
He established career highs last year with 11 goals, nine assists, 20 points and 72 games played. His plus-6 led the team, while his 168 hits ranked second among Arizona forwards.
According to the team's press release, this year the 6-foot-3, 214-pound Klinkhammer has three goals and is plus-3 in 19 games with Phoenix. His plus-3 ranked second on the Coyotes. Klinkhammer's average of 2.3 hits per game will rank third among Pittsburgh forwards behind Chris Kunitz (3.0) and Zach Sill (2.6).
Klinkhammer is in the second year of a two-year, one-way contract that pays him an average annual value of $625,000.
Arizona Coyotes TV Analyst Matt McConnell joined the Starkey and Mueller show and talked about what type of player the Pens got in Klinkhammer.
"He's a left winger, he's a big kid," McConnel said. "He'll definitely be a depth guy for Pittsburgh, I don't think there's any question about that. Maybe he has an opportunity with some of the injuries on the left side of the lineup...he's also a guy with his big frame, if willing can give the team maybe a little bit more of a physical presence."
McConnell described Klinkhammer's defensive mindset he plays with and the natural progression he should be looking to make in his career. "When he wants to be, he can be pretty good defensively. I think the next step that he's going to have to take is he's going to have to be willing to play more of a physical style."
Click the audio link below to hear more from McConnell on what the Pens can expect from Klinkhammer.
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