CALGARY — The Pittsburgh Penguins made a minor trade of players Tuesday, both playing in the AHL but with ample NHL experience.
General manager Kyle Dubas announced the swap, sending Valtteri Puustinen to the Colorado Avalanche for left-handed defenseman Ilya Solovyov.
Solovyov, 25, is a native of Belarus. He’s a big (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) left-shot defenseman known for reliability and a steady game. This season, he played 16 NHL games with one goal and two assists, and a minus-1 rating with six penalty minutes. He’s also played three games for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles.
Solovyov turned pro five seasons ago. In 232 career AHL games with Colorado, Calgary, and Stockton, he has recorded 18 goals, 51 assists, and 69 points. He also played the pandemic season for Dinamo Minsk in the KHL.
The move would appear to bolster the left side of the organization’s depth.
With some irony, both players were seventh-round draft picks. Puustinen was the Penguins’ seventh-rounder in 2019 and played 66 NHL games with seven goals and 16 points.
Tags: Ilya Solovyov Penguins Trade Valtteri Puustinen
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