Dan’s Daily Links: USA! USA! Penguins Surge in Metro

Would anyone have guessed at the beginning of December the Pittsburgh Penguins would be tied atop the Metro Division? Friday night, the Penguins got some help from Tyler Seguin and–get this–from Greg Mckegg. Seriously. The trade speculation in Toronto is not over who but over what and a potential Babcock-Dubas disagreement. And-USA! USA!

We’ll begin the Saturday links with the Penguins. The trade rumors say Jake Muzzin. I stress “rumors” in that sentence as a negative. The reality is–as PHN helped report weeks ago–LA can get a first-round pick or very good prospect. The Penguins can’t give either of those.

However, the Penguins report card from their win over Winnipeg was full of high marks. It may not have been high-flying Penguins hockey, but it was ruthlessly effective. (PHN Extra)

We make the game analysis section free. A yearly sub is just $1.75 per month. Cmon!

USA beat Russia to make it to the World Junior Championships Final. They’ll face Finland. (Sportsnet)

If you know history, that is the same path the 1980 Miracle on Ice took to win gold, too. The USSR was only the semi-finals. They also trailed Finland going into the third period in the gold medal game. Perhaps PHN will have another gold medal game party? We’ll let you know.

Tyler Seguin scored in overtime to beat the Capitals. Greg McKegg scored two points to lead Carolina past Columbus. Lots of help for the Penguins (TSN)

The Hockey Writers did a deep dive through the NHL Trade reporting and whispers (The Hockey Writers).

Mediation to save Ottawa arena project? If you were Matt Duchene, Mark Stone or anyone else, would you wait through this stuff? (Ottawa Citizen)

Finally, it would appear the Penguins heat on the trade market is slowing considerably. Only two scouts were in attendance for the Penguins-Winnipeg, New Jersey and Buffalo. That’s a far cry from the nine who sat in during the Penguins darker days in November and early December. However, January is typically when Rutherford becomes a figurative assassin with a move no one saw coming.