Dan’s Daily: Draft Trade Talk; Oilers Changes; Penguins Complete Task

While the Florida Panthers continue to party, the Edmonton Oilers occupy the center square and the attention of the hockey world. Edmonton general manager Stan Bowman promised big changes for next season. The Pittsburgh Penguins completed their final task of replacing Mike Sullivan by naming three new assistant coaches for Dan Muse’s staff. We also updated the Penguins’ RFA trade targets and laid out one of GM Kyle Dubas’s “big” choices. Elsewhere, Jonathan Toews will soon return home to play hockey, the Columbus Blue Jackets are stirring the NHL trade rumors with a pair of first-round picks, and the New York Islanders are the subject of a dozen rumors, but the big one is the future of Noah Dobson.

You’re welcome, Penguins fans!

In response to a joke on Wednesday about me needing to take a day off so the Penguins would break big news, I wrote that I’d take Friday off. As if on cue, the Penguins did break big news. Unfortunately, they picked the exact moment of the start of my staff meeting, but they broke news nonetheless. Later this morning, I’ll dig into what the Penguins added to the bench, using help from industry and coaching sources.

Our big announcement for Hockey Now is still coming. The lawyers are getting their say, and lawyers are going to lawyer so lawyers don’t have to lawyer and judges don’t have to judge. Yet don’t most problems end up with more lawyers and more judges, not less? If only more professions or money worked like that, eh? If you sense a hint of frustration, you’d be correct, but the big announcement will be made soon.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Helloooo Todd Nelson. The Penguins did indeed hire the Hershey Bears head coach, as well as three others, to complete Muse’s staff. Here’s the big Penguins news.

We had a little offseason fun Friday morning, too. By later Friday, one name was off the board, but we updated the very popular trade targets that a few of us have been watching closely. Call it a big decision or a choice of little decisions. What do I mean? Read on–An updated look at Penguins trade targets.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: My goodness, did you see Oneal Cruz’s error in center field? I managed a lot of youth baseball in my day, and I’m not sure I’ve seen an error that bad, ever. The Pirates say they’re not worried.

I tried to find an old Drew Carey routine (from his early stand-up days), when he made fun of the Cleveland Indians for being a terrible team. He had an entire bit about outfielders not calling a flyball … because they weren’t finished with their cigarettes. Cruz’s error was far too close to the routine. And I have a far too big mental hard drive for stand-up bits from the 1980s and 1990s.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

TSN: Changes will be made. Bowman indicated the Oilers will be looking for a goalie, too (Gee, shouldn’t they have done that in March?). Start the big trade rumors as the Oilers are making changes.

Sportsnet: The latest 32 Thoughts was a heavyweight addition. Alain Nasreddine has interviewed for the vacant Dallas Stars coaching position. Jake Allen is the belle of the ball on the goalie market, why the Penguins might get more for their veterans the longer they wait (I think we’ve already dissected that), and more on the Panthers UFAs, too.

NYI Hockey Now: Noah Dobson, available? Or will the Fish Sticks pay him $10 million? It’s a fluid situation, and the chatter is getting hot around the New York Islanders.

Philly Hockey Now: The Philadelphia Flyers are rebuilding, but they have some unsigned young players. Most notably, uh, what’s up with Cam York?

New Jersey Hockey Now: Remember Cody Glass? The New Jersey Devils won’t be offering him a new contract. Perhaps that’s not a big surprise, but the move is a harbinger of things to come. Here’s what it means in the larger sense for the Devils’ offseason.

Montreal Hockey Now: Claude Giroux? As he wrangles with the Ottawa Senators for a new contract, perhaps he could float to a team that’s only a couple of hours away. There’s some smoke that Giroux could balk at the latest Ottawa offers and sign with … the Montreal Canadiens.

Detroit Hockey Now: I couldn’t agree with this sentiment more. After a handful of years playing it safe or overpaying middle-of-the-road free agents, it is time for Steve Yzerman to step up to the plate and take some big swings. It’s time, writes Bob Duff, for some big moves by the Detroit Red Wings.