Sergei Plotnikov

Sergei Sergeyevich Plotnikov (Russian: Сергей Сергеевич Плотников; born 3 June 1990) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward for SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Plotnikov previously played in the KHL with Amur Khabarovsk, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and CSKA Moscow.^[1] He has played briefly in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Arizona Coyotes.

Sergei Plotnikov
Plotnikov in 2015 with the Pittsburgh Penguins
Born	(1990-06-03) 3 June 1990 (age 35) Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
Position	Forward
Shoots	Left
KHL team Former teams	SKA Saint Petersburg Amur Khabarovsk Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Pittsburgh Penguins Arizona Coyotes Metallurg Magnitogorsk CSKA Moscow
National team	Russia
NHL draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2009–present

Playing career

Plotnikov was not drafted by any NHL team. On 1 July 2015, Plotnikov bought out the final year of his contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.^[2]

In his first North American season in 2015–16, Plotnikov scored just two points in 32 games. From December 2015, he was a healthy scratch for almost two months. Displeased with his lack of playing time, Plotnikov requested a trade and was subsequently traded to the Arizona Coyotes on 29 February 2016 in exchange for Matthias Plachta and a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2016, dependent on if the Coyotes resigned him.^[3] Plotnikov's struggles continued with the Coyotes, unable to find his offensive touch with one assist from 13 games.^[4][5]

As a free agent from the Coyotes and with little success in the NHL, Plotnikov returned to Russia in agreeing to a two-year KHL contract with SKA Saint Petersburg on 1 July 2016.^[6]

Following his fourth season with SKA Saint Petersburg in the 2019–20 season, in which he served as team captain, Plotnikov was traded to his original club, Amur Khabarovsk in exchange for Igor Rudenkov on 16 May 2020.^[7] Unable to agree to terms with Amur, Plotnikov was soon traded for the second time within the month, dealt to Metallurg Magnitogorsk in exchange for four prospects and financial compensation. He was then signed to a two-year contract on 28 May 2020.^[8]

Following a lone season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Plotnikov left the club with a year remaining on his contract in agreeing to a one-year deal with fellow KHL club, HC CSKA Moscow, on 6 July 2021.^[9]

During his three season tenure with CSKA Moscow, Plotnikov captured two Gagarin Cup championships, before leaving as a free agent and signing a four-year contract to return to former club SKA Saint Petersburg on 24 May 2024.^[10]

International play

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  ROC
Olympic Games
	2022 Beijing
Representing  Russia
World Championships
	2014 Belarus
	2015 Czech Republic
	2016 Russia
	2017 Germany/France
	2019 Slovakia

Plotnikov won a gold medal with Russia at the 2014 World Championship. He finished the tournament third overall in scoring.^{[citation needed]}

On 23 January 2022, Plotnikov was named to the roster to represent Russian Olympic Committee athletes at the 2022 Winter Olympics.^[11]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005–06	Amur–2 Khabarovsk	RUS.3		49	6	6	12	86		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Amur–2 Khabarovsk	RUS.3		39	12	5	17	38		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Amur–2 Khabarovsk	RUS.3		48	20	14	34	100		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Amur–2 Khabarovsk	RUS.3		6	4	2	6	18		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Yermak Angarsk	RUS.2		26	2	3	5	36		4	2	1	3	2
2009–10	Amur Khabarovsk	KHL		43	6	6	12	30		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Amurskie Tigry	MHL		16	12	22	34	32		8	1	5	6	47
2010–11	Amur Khabarovsk	KHL		45	5	8	13	36		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Amur Khabarovsk	KHL		53	13	7	20	70		4	0	0	0	8
2011–12	Amurskie Tigry	MHL		1	1	2	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		50	14	16	30	54		5	1	2	3	4
2013–14	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		53	15	20	35	88		18	4	10	14	30
2014–15	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		56	15	21	36	71		5	1	0	1	33
2015–16	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		32	0	2	2	20		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Arizona Coyotes	NHL		13	0	1	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		46	11	18	29	53		15	3	3	6	14
2017–18	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		55	16	23	39	60		12	1	2	3	37
2018–19	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		61	19	20	39	40		18	3	11	14	23
2019–20	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		48	8	21	29	81		4	2	0	2	4
2020–21	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	KHL		58	13	30	43	50		12	3	6	9	28
2021–22	CSKA Moscow	KHL		43	16	11	27	23		22	6	7	13	12
2022–23	CSKA Moscow	KHL		65	23	24	47	43		27	4	7	11	18
2023–24	CSKA Moscow	KHL		66	13	13	26	43		5	0	0	0	2
2024–25	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		52	21	22	43	30		3	1	1	2	6
KHL totals				794	208	260	468	772		150	29	49	78	219
NHL totals				45	0	3	3	24		—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2014	Russia	WC			10	6	6	12	12
2015	Russia	WC			10	1	1	2	2
2016	Russia	WC			7	0	1	1	4
2017	Russia	WC			10	3	4	7	10
2019	Russia	WC			3	0	1	1	0
2022	ROC	OG			4	0	2	2	2
Senior totals					44	10	15	25	30

Awards and honors

Award	Year	Ref
KHL
All-Star Game	2013, 2015
Gagarin Cup champion	2017, 2022, 2023	[12][13][14]