Dan’s Daily Links: Jets Close on Duchene? Stars Scouting Penguins

The Ottawa Senators have finally accepted the reality a star player in his later 20s may not want to suffer through a rebuild with an organization fighting for a new arena. So it goes. Not every team gets an all-time great who just buys the team instead, like the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, Mark Stone may stick it out in Ottawa for the right price. And the Dallas continue to scout the Penguins.

We’ll start with the Penguins. The Dallas Stars again stopped by, Saturday and the Carolina Hurricanes took in both games over the weekend.  As with visiting scouts, it’s always fun to overreact and assume with certainty the next great blockbuster is a glowing scouting report away. I’ll leave the speculation to you, but I can’t imagine Carolina and the Penguins willing to help each other.

The Senators are ready to deal Duchene. (TSN)

And the Senators brass showed up with numbers in Winnipeg, then were seen huddling. Ready break? (Winnipeg Free Press)

Another writer opined the Penguins are in on Mats Zuccarello. Note the word, “opined.” Opinion. Larry Brooks — (New York Post)

The Penguins parting with a first round pick for Zuccarello? Let me know when you’re done laughing.

Get the postgame video from PPG — and watch Zach Aston-Reese’s reaction to Malkin’s goal (Pittsburgh Hockey Nowa)

The Dallas Stars are open for anything (NHL.com)

Good news for the Penguins playoff push–The Montreal Canadiens are suddenly realizing they weren’t supposed to be this good. They’re experiencing their first slump of the season (Sportsnet)

Gustav Nyquist has been asked for his trade list–the news is buried in the Headlines segment–Nyquist could be the Belle of the Ball very soon as Panarin and Stone disappear from the market (Sportsnet)

Here is the Boston Bruins shopping list, from Matt Kalman, a long time, good hockey scribe. (WEEI)