Dan’s Daily: Losers Fallout; WC Upset; Penguins Lessons

Curiously, there was not a lot of hockey news on Monday. It seems as if the hockey media world stopped to mourn or criticize the Toronto Maple Leafs and brace itself as foundational-shaking changes await. The Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets are also facing internal questions after promising seasons were halted with Round Two exits. The NHL trade chatter has begun for those losing teams, and vultures await. And we went to school at the feet of the NHL’s final four, and exactly what the Pittsburgh Penguins can learn–or should learn.

On Monday, the trial of the five players from the 2018 Team Canada World Juniors spent Monday debating whether to admit evidence, potentially calling into question the defendants’ coordinating their stories. The judge, who will now be the sole arbiter of guilt or innocence, did not allow the 2022 statements made to Team Canada investigators into evidence.

I spent some time rolling through the internet and Reddit to gauge public opinion amongst those who have been following the case. Many had the same reaction as I did following Tyler Steenbergen’s two days of testimony last week. He was a prosecution (The Crown) witness who was in the room as some of the alleged crimes were committed. It seemed he was a believable wrecking ball to the prosecution’s fundamental arguments.

There were some small holes in his story, too. Still, I was shocked to learn that one difference in Canadian criminal courts is that the Crown is not there to compete against the defense to secure a conviction, but is meant to seek the truth, and thus presents all evidence, good or bad, in their case. So, that’s why they called him.

The subject matter is far too sensitive and too serious to speculate on a verdict or why, but the Crown’s role is interesting. As a fan of the Oxygen Channel but also true crime podcasts that tackle unsolved cases or potential wrongful convictions, I can’t help but wonder if the Canadian way is better.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: There are four teams left in the chase for the Stanley Cup. Three of them have significant similarities, so here is what Kyle Dubas can learn about rebuilding the Penguins’ roster.

Steelers Now: OK, here we go. It begins. As we await the results of the longest courtship dance since Ted Mosby found their mother, the question is: Can sixth-round pick Will Howard become the Steelers’ starting quarterback this season?

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: A few sticks on the farm are heating up, which puts them in direct contrast with the big club. Here is the latest on who is climbing the ranks on the Pirates’ prospect ranks.

Danny Demilio also brought his bat to the yard. Baddddddd offseason decisions are just the start and highlight more failures of your Pittsburgh Pirates.

NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now

Spector’s Hockey: Lyle Richardson put some of the heaviest criticism and analysis of the Maple Leafs in one place. Calls to nuke it, fire Brendan Shanahan, and everything but tearing down the Scotiabank Arena to get rid of the bad juju.

NYI Hockey Now: Remember when John Tavares flirted with those poor Islanders and fans all season, then bolted via free agency to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs? He even posted childhood pictures of himself wearing Maple Leafs pajamas. It stung Long Island to lose their captain. From the top rope, Russell Macias delivers a little comeuppance to Tavares, who won nothing in his Toronto tenure, for the way he left the New York Islanders.

TSN: Winnipeg. It’s a rough situation as a very good team hasn’t sniffed the Stanley Cup and has annually been cast to the Manitoba mosquitoes by May. Will they re-sign Nikolaj Ehlers, and should they? Can they keep building?

Vegas Hockey Now: Similar questions about the VGK. Lots of calls to scrap much of the current roster construction, but it wouldn’t be easy, and they’re still pretty good. Hannah Kirkell tackles the fundamental question: Should the Vegas Golden Knights blow it up?

Florida Hockey Now: The juggernaut. Looking for their third-straight Eastern Conference crown, Matthew Tkachuk has fond memories of beating Carolina last year, including a pair of overtime winners in the ECF, but it’s all zeroes now, and Carolina is better. Tkachuk speaks for the Florida Panthers.

Sportsnet: Just in case you’re curious, here are the first 28 picks of the 2025 NHL Draft, as four slots remain undetermined.

ESPN: What?! Marc-Andre Fleury was solid between the pipes at the World Championships and allowed just one goal against Finland Monday, but Team Canada lost?!