Dan’s Daily: Dirty Brawl in SCF; Failed Marner Trade; Penguins Chatter

It’s been quite a while since the Stanley Cup Final was more like scenes from Slap Shot. As the Florida Panthers piled up the goals, the Edmonton Oilers reacted petulantly and eventually all hell broke loose in Game 3. The NHL trade chatter around the league is starting to include the Pittsburgh Penguins, while there is more smoke around the New York Rangers making sweeping changes to their roster. There was almost a blockbuster three-team deal near the NHL trade deadline, sending Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights and Mikko Rantanen to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Off the ice, the closing arguments began in the trial of five 2018 Team Canada members accused of sexual assault.

I’ve never had such a bad run of predictions as I’ve had in these Stanley Cup Playoffs, so I’m making no predictions about the SCF going forward. I thought Edmonton was outclassing Florida in the first two games, and it was their time, but wily veteran Florida found a way in Game 2. Then Florida annihilated Edmonton in Game 3. If Connor McDavid wins this Stanley Cup, Penguins fans should prepare for a lot of McDavid exhalation–better than Sidney Crosby, better than one or two more of the Rushmore figureheads atop the hockey pantheon.

Of course, if the Panthers win, there’s going to be an entirely different and unfair conversation about whether he can win the big one. Until Game 3, McDavid was brilliant. Even last night, he was giving it everything, but Florida had an answer.

I don’t know how Edmonton gets back in the series after absolutely losing their cool in Game 3, but I’ve been wrong about everything else this Spring.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: We’ll start with the trade chatter. I held off for a couple of days on this one because I wanted to see if there was more. It seems K’Andre Miller is certain to be traded. Nick Kypreos reported via the Toronto Star that the Montreal Canadiens and Penguins are in hot pursuit of restricted free agent Nic Hague. The Penguins have entered the NHL trade talk.

With some NHL Scouting Combine videos, we’ve narrowed the focus on the Penguins’ draft picks. The Penguins badly need to replenish their center depth. From Brady Martin to Roger McQueen and others, we’re focusing on the centers to hope for as potential Penguins draft picks.

Steelers Now: The salary cap in the NFL is the most complex, confusing, and often irrelevant because teams can so easily get around it, but if you’re curious about Aaron Rodgers’ contract, here are the incentives in his Steelers contract.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: A Danny Demilio column. To start the season, the Miami Marlins embarrassed the Pirates. Actually, the Pirates embarrassed the Pirates, but the Marlins were the beneficiary. A managerial change and some moxy later, the Marlins are learning these are different Pittsburgh Pirates.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Florida Hockey Now: Fight Night in Florida. From Darnell Nurse squirting water at the Florida bench to the Jake Halman sucker punches on Matthew Tkachuk, Edmonton lost their marbles in Game 3. It was a blowout, a 6-1 Florida win, and George Richards was ringside to document all of the Oilers’ ugliness and the Florida Panthers’ agitation.

Fo’ shizzle, Brad Marchand is proving that not being a “one jersey” guy is a lot more fun.

Sportsnet Edmonton: Mark Spector also put the boots to the Oilers, calling them undisciplined and outlining their myriad of problems.

TSN: Could the New York Islanders throw off the experts and select hometown boy James Hagens? It seems he’d like it, too.

Vegas Hockey Now: It almost happened. A blockbuster of blockbusters. A three-team deal involving the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vegas Golden Knights. It was a three-team trade centered on Mitch Marner to the Golden Knights.

Montreal Hockey Now: The other team in the Nicolas Hague chatter–Marc Dumont examines the Hague to Montreal Canadiens rumors.

Chicago Hockey Now: Selections of the third-tier of centers in the NHL Draft shouldn’t begin until after the Penguins select at No. 11. However, if the Penguins are set on a center, there’s one name to watch, and he could be a fit later in the round for the Chicago Blackhawks, too: Cullen Porter.

Sportsnet: The closing arguments began in the trial of the five 2018 Team Canada players accused of sexual assault. Michael McLeod’s and Carter Hart’s lawyers went first, citing the discrepancies between E.M.’s statements from the initial investigation through the 2022 settlement and the trial. After the defendant’s closings, the Crown will present, and then the defense attorneys will get the final statements.