Mark Friedman News
Friedman will likely make his Vancouver Canucks debut on Thursday after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday with Ty Glover in a trade for Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek. The 27-year-old Friedman has 65 NHL games under his belt, all with the Penguins, where he amassed 12 points (4G / 8A) along with 102 hits and 59 blocked shots. Akito Hirose was sent to Abbotsford (AHL) to make room for Friedman on the Canucks roster.
Friedman appeared in two games so far this season for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) and has failed to pick up a point but has now been traded to Vancouver alongside Ty Glover for Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek. The 27-year-old defensemen has played five NHL seasons for both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and has four goals, eight assists, and 49 PIMs in 65 career games played. He is expected to take the spot of Noah Juulsen in Vancouvers' defensive unit.
Friedman has a goal, 17 SOG, 11 PIMs and a +1 plus/minus through 11 games this season but is out for the time being due to an upper-body injury. It is a tough loss for Friedman, who had just been finding himself regularly back in the Penguins lineup.
Friedman failed to pick up both a shot or a point through his three games with the Penguins and will head back to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) Wednesday. The 27-year-old had a goal, four assists, 13 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 19 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton prior to his call-up.
With Pittsburgh dealing with an array of injuries on their back end, Mark Friedman has been brought up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL for some defensive relief. Before his promotion to Pittsburgh, he had two assists and was a +2 plus/minus through 10 games.
Friedman has ties to new Penguins' GM Ron Hextall, who drafted Friedman while he was the GM of the Flyers in 2014. The 25-year-old defenseman has appeared in just 11 NHL games since then, picking up one assist.
With Philippe Myers out long-term, Friedman comes up to serve as the Flyers seventh defenseman. Friedman has one assist in six NHL games this season and has picked up 18 points (3G / 15A) in 45 AHL games.
Friedman appeared in five straight games with the Flyers but returns to the AHL with Justin Braun expected to be back in the lineup on Saturday. Friedman had one assist with the Flyers and has 10 points (2G / 8A) in 28 AHL games.
With Shayne Gostisbehere out with a knee injury, Friedman will play in his second career NHL game. The 24-year-old, who has 10 points (2G / 8A) in 28 AHL games this season will skate on the third pair with Robert Hagg.
Friedman, 24, was a third-round pick in 2014 (No.86 overall) and has played in just one career NHL game since then. The 5-foot-10, 192 lbs. defenseman has accumulated 10 points (2G / 8A) in 28 AHL games this season.