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Dan’s Daily: Top UFAs; Red Wings Look for Trade; Penguins Grade
Happy Independence Day. The Daily will be a short and sweet version, as we must get to the rink for the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect camp. Penguins fans may want to pay closer attention to the Detroit Red Wings, as general manager Steve Yzerman is hunting for a top-four right-side defenseman. Hopefully, I don’t have to spell out the connection to the Penguins any further. Sportsnet laid out the top remaining unrestricted free agents, and we graded the first phase of the Penguins’ offseason.
Today is my favorite holiday. It seems every year I have to work or am otherwise engaged with professional activities, so I cannot enjoy what comes along with the holiday. But the reason for it is everything. Farmers and industrialists and ordinary people took up arms against the largest standing army in the world to assert our right to exist. No, you cannot tax us and take our money. No, you cannot take our homes to house your soldiers. And hell no, we don’t believe in birthright rulers. We are Americans.
Those ordinary people braved a terrible winter to fight on, many even without shoes or boots, for an important victory across the Delaware River. We eventually cornered a smug general against the sea in Yorktown. George Washington was not an emotional man or one given to highs or lows, but when he learned that Cornwallis had made such an arrogant mistake, the legend is that he sprang from his seat and yipped.
There is still something special about this country. It’s OK to know it. And only when you know it can you protect it. July 4th means we’re independent and we’re going to live our lives as we see fit, not as told. Now, let’s get rowdy and blow up some stuff in ways only Americans can do.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The last big free agent, Nikolaj Ehlers, is off the board. That means Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is up next. Before the trades begin, we graded the first phase of free agents and trades of the Penguins’ off-season.
We also had a chance to chat with new prospect and 2025 first-round pick Bill Zonnon. When he used the word “Swagger,” I chuckled a bit because that word has bounced off the walls of the Penguins’ locker rooms for quite a while. He’s actually quite humble and gave a surprisingly honest answer when I asked how close he felt to being ready for the NHL. Get to know Bill Zonnon.
It was Day 1 of the development camp. There were no competitive drills and not much going on that we could report on, so you’ll have to wait until we can really see what’s up. I can tell you, Gabriel Dagle is BIG, and he seems to move quite well. I stand behind our initial draft grade that he was a steal.
Gabriel Daigle, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
Detroit Hockey Now: Steve Yzerman finally got a goalie when he acquired John Gibson, but the other big names and top players were off the board or not interested. However, Yzerman is now fishing in the NHL trade pond for a top-six forward and top-four defenseman. Those are the Red Wings’ trade needs.
Sportsnet: The latest on the top available unrestricted free agents.
TSN: Ehlers took an extra couple of days to decide, and he chose the Carolina Hurricanes for an average annual value of $8.5 million. Ehlers got paid, and Carolina finally got a top player from the outside who wants to be there.
Teams really have to make sure they can trade a player before his final year on a contract. GMs can’t lose these players for nothing.
Boston Hockey Now: I think the Bruins got the steal of the first round when James Hagens fell to them at No. 7. It’s not often a consensus top pick one year before the draft falls that far without serious injury or slump. However, Hagens has arrived, and everyone is talking about him at the Boston Bruins development camp.
DK–Thank you for your wonderful and invigorating tribute to July 4; shout it loud.
One question: do you have any reason why the Pens passed on LD Aitcheson at #’s 11 and 12??
Nothing more than the obvious. They liked Ben Kindel.
What I suspected. Thank you; have a great day and weekend!
That’s Big Ben Kindel to you, buddy!
Dan’s answer makes sense, however, they could have had both Kindel and Aitcheson with picks 11 & 12. Granted they wouldn’t have gotten their other two first round picks (from the trade for pick 12, etc.), but by all accounts, Aitcheson sounds like exactly what we need (left defenseman, thumper, heavy hitter, two way defenseman, agitator). Instead he gets drafted by the Islanders who already got the #1 pick – defenseman Matthew Schaefer. I guess we won’t know for a few years what was the better direction
It will be years before we know who did or didn’t make the right call on draft day. For now, I am content to let the process play out and judge down the road, based on actual results and not projections.
There is a trade partner right there for Pittsburgh – Rakell for a 1st, Kasper and a prospect.
Dan, I recommend Newt Gingrich’s historical fiction “Valley Forge” to you. It sounds right down your alley.
Happy 4th!
Scott
I agree!
Neeeeewt!
I’m floating on an inner tube at Conneaut Lake rn = glorious
To DET
Karlsson 10M (1M retained) 2 more years on contract
3rd round pick
To PIT
Copp 5.6M 2 more years in contract
Holl 3.4M 1 more year on contract
Detroit’s bad contracts for our REALLY bad contract
And how this help the Pens? Maybe you forget something big coming back from Detroit, because I only see the Pens lose EK and a 3rd while retaining, it doesn’t make any sense. It’s not like EK is blocking some prospects from WBS or the Pens need cap space. EK will be traded if the return is good, otherwise he’ll stay, and if he sucks .. well more lottery tickets for McKenna.
What I’m saying is it may take a trade like this to unload Karlsson. The Pens will never get back what they paid for him, so it’s best to salvage what they can. My original thought was EK (nothing retained), Hayes and a 3rd for Copp, Holl and a 2nd, but I doubt the Red Wings would go for it, given the 4.57M difference in salaries being exchanged. The bottom line then becomes how motivated the Pens are to move him, and if they are, my proposal would merit consideration. They can tweak the draft picks and Pens can retain… Read more »
This is not one big, beautiful trade. Jarry & Graves fall into the bad contract swap category, as of now. EK65, Rakell, Heinen, Acciari fall into in the draft picks/prospects/young NHLer’s category, albeit with vastly different return values.
I’d be game if Detroit attatched a first and Branseg-Nygard to their end
Gosh Matthew, no need to send in your resume. That is terrible.
Hate to say it but Detroit is probably one of the few teams that might entertain meeting PoHOGM KD’s high price for Rusty.
Yep, I’m also trying to remember where 17’s from. Should that matter.
He is from Michigan and was a fan of the Red Wings as a kid. Attended and played hockey and graduated from Notre Dame.
So the pens could afford to have 3 goaliea on the roster. 1. JARRY 2. Blomquist 3. Marshes. This would allow both Blom and Mursh a chance to get experience without having to play every game and allow them to get used to the NHL game schedule grind before being thrown into it. 13 forwards 7 defensmen and 3 goalies….Why not? Both Blom and mersh are waivers exempt. Give the chance to play every 4 or 5 games in the NHL.