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Dan’s Daily: Big-Name Trade Talk, Igor’s Theft, Penguins Heat
The Pittsburgh Penguins offseason has been quiet, but Dave Molinari laid out a list of “do nots” for the coming summer, and I tried to cut through the noise and speculation with exactly why coach Mike Sullivan is on the hot seat. The NHL trade rumors have a couple of teams, including the New York Islanders, looking for shakeup trades, and Larry Brooks posits the Islanders should unload a couple of big names in the process. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in the same situation and might try to offload a big name or two to create cap space.
Elsewhere in the Daily, Igor Shesterkin is absolutely robbing the Carolina Hurricanes, who are beating the New York Rangers except for one guy. Things don’t look good for the Penguins to get a first-round pick via the Jake Guentzel trade. And the ax fell on Sheldon Keefe, touching off more Penguins rumors.
And a new 3v3 professional hockey league is launching with a lot of money behind it—a $30 million salary cap is pretty impressive.
…It sounds silly, but I love little bits of Americana, like small-town diners. Before the rain arrived Thursday, I raced up Rt. 65 on the motorcycle to Rochester, PA, to visit the little donut shop in the center of town. I was more than a bit disappointed that it was empty, and they said they don’t really serve people inside anymore. The workers blamed the pandemic. I sat at the counter, and they gave me a coffee in a to-go cup and my donut in a bag.
Way to make a guy feel welcome. That damned virus has changed the world and us — and nothing is for the better.
I may have to run up to Marienville on Rt. 66 north of Clarion just to get my fix. Kelly’s Pub is one of my favorite little dive bars. It has wood paneling and neon signs, and the locals still wander in to drink bottled beer and make fun of people on the TV all afternoon. If that goes away, too, I’ll be heartbroken.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Here are the four things the Penguins should NOT do before next season. This is the well-received and insightful shot of common sense from Dave Molinari for the Penguins’ offseason.
“Fire Sullivan!” It’s a common refrain on social media that seems to link back to everything. The Keefe firing only excited that segment of the fanbase, but beyond the cliches and shallow calls, there are real reasons to put Mike Sullivan on the hot seat.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
NYI Hockey Now: Islanders trade chatter is picking up. However, Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a rough season, and his trade value hit the floor because of his sizable contract. He’s really complicating the Islanders’ trade potentials.
New Jersey Hockey Now: One place Sheldon Keefe would fit is New Jersey. Keefe is reportedly already under consideration by the New Jersey Devils.
TSN: A look at potential replacements for Keefe in Toronto.
Tampa Tribune: Anthony Cirelli? He’s among the big names that could be on the block as the Lightning try to free up salary cap space to sign Steve Stamkos. If it comes to that, there would be a line around the corner for Cirelli.
Stick tap to our buddy Lyle Richardson at Spector’s Hockey for finding the Tampa Bay story.
Sportsnet: Carolina scored a late tying goal with the extra attacker—their second goal on 45 shots—but Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stole the show. The Rangers won early in overtime, and the Blueshirts now have a 3-0 series lead.
Colorado Hockey Now: It was a near-great comeback for the Colorado Avalanche, but this time, the Dallas Stars hung on to tie the series 1-1. It was the star forwards who were short for the Avalanche in Game 2.
Boston Hockey Now: You saw the fight between David Pastrnak and Matthew Tkachuk in Game 2 of the Bruins-Panthers war. Mike Rupp had high praise for Pastrnak answering the bell for the Boston Bruins.
And…
🚨 BREAKING NEWS! 🚨
A NEW pro hockey league is coming to North America! 3-on-3 Major League Hockey arrives THIS FALL!@Steve_Dangle has the details! ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/D1M2g9ci0x
— sdpn (@sdpnsports) May 10, 2024
Penguins Notebook: Karlsson Makes His Point(s); Second Helpings
3 Former Penguins Forwards Worthy of Bringing Back
Exclusive: Penguins’ Top Pick Brayden Yager–Bigger, Faster, & On a Roll (+)
Dan’s Daily: Latest RFA Rumors; How Insiders View Penguins
Penguins’ Mike Sullivan Named 2026 Team USA Olympic Coach, Four Nations Face-Off
Penguins Free Agency: 3 Big-Name UFAs to Avoid
Penguins Blog: Stories I Didn’t Publish
Molinari: Give Kyle Dubas Credit, Even if You Blame Him
Agent: UFAs Should Be Drawn to Penguins
Dan, we have read the issue with the Penguins is mostly roster construction. And we have read that Sullivan really had no conversations with Hextall regarding trades roster, etc. And that’s probably true but my question is what moves did Sullivan have direct input on advocate for and can be responsible for? For example; 1) Brassard-Reaves et al. It can be argued that single trade contributed to a second round playoff loss to Washington, and the resultant loss of draft picks, young goaltender in Filip Gustavsson, Ian Cole, all have contributed to several years of quicksand. Was this the result… Read more »
You’re putting an awful lot of weight on Sullivan there. This isn’t the NFL and Sullivan doesn’t control the roster like Tomlin.
And — it wasn’t Sullivan’s evaluation of Nylander, it was everyone’s. Go back and look at the NHL games in which he was given a prime opportunity. He was invisible. If Nylander has turned the corner, great for him. But he surely didn’t do it here and it wasn’t anyone else’s fault. They wanted him to succeed…
But Nylander sure was a quick turnaround.
Turnaround or post-trade bump? Won’t know that answer until next season, though I think i do.
That was some post-trade bump! Considering that in just 23 games with CBJ, he scored 11 goals, while White, Koppanen, Gruden , Hinostroza, Nieto, Puljujarvi, Harkins and Bemstrom scored only 9 goals collectively in 155 games.Post-trade bump indeed!
Dan I don’t know but I suspect he’s gonna be a good winger for a long time and if he scores 25+ next year then it was a horrible trade. The reason is they made the decision to retain the core and that meant the PP basically had the same folks and the top two lines were set. Nylander is a skill guy and does best with the PP and playing on the top two lines. He wasn’t gonna do that in Pittsburgh because of previous decisions decisions have consequences bad decisions have bad consequences. What I’m trying to get… Read more »
by 26, with three organizations who wanted him to succeed, even if he does, it’s not on anyone but the player.
Hmmm….I thought coaches put players in situations so that they can succeed. Just because other teams’ coaches failed in this regard like Teflon Mike failed doesn’t take Teflon Mike off the hook. In fact, it makes Teflon Mike look like a run-of-the-mill coach and nothing special. He had a gem in his presence and failed to recognize it. And kudos to the CBJ coach since he saw the potential and ran with it.
I have explained this many times. The guy was slotted beside Evgeni Malkin. Why is it so hard for people to place responsibility on the player, especially when the player has had three prior teams and even more coaches who wanted him to succeed.
Which player…? Him or the one he’s slotted beside? I’m sure I read somewhere on this site, relatively recently, how it’s difficult (my term, because I can’t recall the phrase used) to play with Malkin because he isn’t predictable (or similar)? But because the young guy is playing with an “elite” player, the entire responsibility falls on the new guy that can’t get it done? Huh, interesting. Maybe this particular player just went somewhere that was more predictable, looser, with less elite players and he could “just play” (yeah, I said that… note the irony, heh). Sure, not everyone pans… Read more »
You just made my point. Thank you. Putting him with Geno who is a puck hog maybe isn’t the wisest linemate choice. Oh well, back to lamenting that we haven’t found competent 3rd and 4th lines for going on what….6 years?
He may score 25 next year, but it will be in the AHL. You are putting way too much value on him. He is Kappanen 2.0
Count me as one who wanted to not re-sign 71 and 42 and bring in Trocheck and Niederreiter. We missed out on Mountour too (although I think that one was a season earlier). Ah well, nostalgia reigns. Shrug.
The problem was and still is from the last Cup run until this past season the quality of and the production from the bottom six.
Accountability should be the message to everyone on the team. I want a power play coach who from day 1 says “This is how we will execute the power play. If you don’t want to do that, let me know and I’ll put someone else on the ice.” Back it up by pulling players who decide their way is better.
Hey Dan,
I live near Rochester, Pa here in Industry – and I’m assuming you were talking about DeAngelis’ Donut shop? Absolutely fantastic place with the best plain cake donuts I’ve ever had!
Stop at Sweet Basils, Shippenville on Rt 66 across from the Country Fair when you go up to Cooks Forest area, Knotty Pines in Leaper Rt 36
I love how people think that Sid, Geno, Letang and others decide how their going to play. If that’s true why have a coach at all, so fire Sullivan. If those three are not following Sullivan’s direction he should be fired. So it seems to me it’s obvious, fire Sullivan. He has either lost the team or his style of play is wrong. Actualy the answer is both.