Arizona Coyotes trade Rob Klinkhammer, pick to Pittsburgh Penguins
Dec 5, 2014, 6:40 PM | Updated: 6:52 pm
PHOENIX — The best name in hockey is departing the desert: The Arizona Coyotes announced Friday forward Rob Klinkhammer and a 2016 fifth round pick were sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Philip Samuelsson.
Klinkhammer appears to be the first Coyote to fall under general manager Don Maloney’s threatened trade axe. But to be fair, Klinkhammer hasn’t had a stellar season. In 19 games this season, he’s posted 3-0-3 with four penalty minutes.
Samuelsson could end up being a great get for the Coyotes. At just 23, the Sweden-born defenseman has only appeared in five NHL games and is currently in Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre. However, he was a second-round pick and has a collegiate title under his belt.
The Samuelsson name should be familiar to Coyotes fans. His father, Ulf, is a two-time Stanley Cup winner and spent 2006-11 as an assistant coach in the desert. Philip’s brother, Henrik, was drafted in the first round by the Coyotes in 2012 and is currently plying his trade with the team’s AHL affiliate in Portland, Maine.
