Penguins sign Russian forward Sergei Plotnikov

The Pittsburgh Penguins make their first free agent signing in Russian forward Sergei Plotnikov.

From the team:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Sergei Plotnikov to a one-year entry-level contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford.

Plotnikov, 25, has played the past six years in Russia’s top professional league, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), improving his offensive numbers each season, including this past year when he was selected to play in his second KHL All-Star Game.

A 6-foot-2, 205-pound physical presence, Plotnikov completed his third year with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 2014-15, establishing career highs in both assists (21) and points (36) while scoring 15 goals in 56 games. Plotnikov served as one of Lokomotiv’s alternate captains.

This past spring, the Komsomolsk-na-Amure, Russia native teamed with Evgeni Malkin to help Russia capture a silver medal at the World Championship, where he had two points (1G-1A) in 10 contests.

Plotnikov will make the maximum amount on an entry level contract of $925,000.