Dan’s Daily: Trade Market Changing; Perry’s Big Speech; FSG Emails Penguins Employees
Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends. Pittsburgh Hockey Now got a pretty good scoop on the Pittsburgh Penguins ownership story, and it is probably a must-read if you would like a clearer picture through the dust and smoke kicked up this week surrounding Fenway Sports Group and Mario Lemieux. Also, the Penguins made a couple of signings later Friday that fans should be pretty happy with. Elsewhere, details are emerging about Corey Perry’s speech that sparked the Edmonton Oilers’ historic comeback, the NHL trade winds are blowing in the wrong direction, especially around Minnesota and Marco Rossi, and Mitch Marner will not be back with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It’s Saturday morning, and I still rolled off the mat at 6 a.m. to get Dan’s Daily done. I woke up to someone DM’ing me this bit of soccer fan awesomeness. You’ll notice there are not dozens of cutaways to see if Taylor Swift approves of the action, nor are the fans playing on their phones or heading for the exits in the second half, though the Brits also have a chant for fans who need to beat the traffic.
When fans leave early, the futbol fans chant, “Is there a fire drill?” I love that one, too, and I will find a way to pay each of you who chant, “Is there a fire drill?” when fans leave with 10 minutes to go in the third period of a close game. The next few years are as much about rebuilding Penguins fan culture as it is the team. Generation Next and the student rush built a base that lasted well into the next decade. I wish I could do something to help build something more permanent that is passed down from generation to generation–Pittsburgh watches hockey as much as Canada, now you and I need to institutionalize having as much fun and learning the nuts and bolts of the game. The comments on the Boko Imama story Friday afternoon reminded me that we have work to do.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Multiple groups are interested in a limited (minority) partnership with Fenway Sports Group. PHN obtained an email sent to Penguins employees seeking to reassure them that FSG is not selling. Here’s the full story in the latest chapter of the fast-moving story regarding Mario Lemieux, FSG, and the Penguins’ ownership.
Hey, who doesn’t want Mario back? However, I’m going to remain skeptical of this until there’s something more tangible from Lemieux’s side. It was otherwise a great week for the Penguins, who announced coach Dan Muse. If you’re just catching up, go back and check out my story on his press conference and why he got the Penguins coaching job.
Anyway, general manager Kyle Dubas delivered some contracts on Friday. First to prospect Melvin Fernstrom, and then to tough guy Boko Imama.
I don’t think Penguins fans should get too excited about Fernstrom yet. He’s got a long way to go before he’s ready to excel in North American hockey, but he does have some pretty good instincts.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
The Athletic ($): One of those trade targets that you and I have been watching closely might come off the market. Joe Smith reports that Minnesota isn’t happy with the market for centers, and so MN management might reconsider their stance on Rossi.
Sportsnet: There is a fish that saved Pittsburgh, and now a speech that saved the Edmonton Oilers. Corey Perry stood up and delivered a speech that sparked his teammates to overcome a 3-0 deficit and win Game 4. The boys are talking about what he said in that speech.
Cam and Strick Podcast: I’m a big fan of the podcast. Andy Strickland is a reporter, so he knows what he’s doing, and he doesn’t put nonsense reports into the ether to prove that he knows the security guard’s ex-girlfriend’s dog groomer who works in the building next to the arena. He put this out:
Can confirm Mitch Marner will not be returning to Toronto. Will be playing for a new team come next season. #LeafsForever
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) June 13, 2025
TSN: Mark Messier. Evgeni Malkin. Leon Draisaitl. Recency bias aside, there is a good debate on the best sidekick of all time. However, I think, like most debates, Malkin gets the short shrift in that one, too. TSN debates–is Draisaitl the best No. 2 ever?
New Jersey Hockey Now: James Nichols is shopping with Tom Fitzgerald’s cap space. The Colorado Avalanche have a cap problem, and the New Jersey Devils have some roster problems. Could that lead to a spiffy Devils trade?
Boston Hockey Now: It’s a minor trade as splashy headlines go. A former first-round pick from Chicago for a pick and a prospect. It’s a change of scenery that could help the Boston Bruins.
Philly Hockey Now: We know Dubas likes this kid, but the odds are the Penguins won’t get anywhere near him. Will James with help from Matt Meagher have the video analysis and scouting of Porter Martone.
Categorized:Links NHL Trade Rumors Penguins
Would be nice to see Boko get some ice time to get into the flow of the game instead of sitting on the bench until the coach determined we needed some toughness. Might be a good idea to have toughness throughout the whole game
Hopefully he doesn’t suit up at all. He is not a very good skater and adds nothing to the offense or defense side of things.
*Who* stood up and gave a speech for EDM? Hmm. I guess the guy who was caught on camera last year screaming in EDMs locker room during the SCF wasn’t that player? Huh. Interesting.
If they win the Cup, no doubt Canada will crown this EDM team as the greatest EDM, or even any hockey team, ever. *eyeroll*
Dan,
In respond to your “fire drill” post. Did you not consider some parents have babysitters and maybe kids have to go to school in the morning. Perhaps there is an elderly parent who needs care? People do work shifts and have to get to work. Bottom line is, it is nobody’s business what time you leave a game. At the ticket prices people are paying, they can leave whenever they want to.
I’ve heard that before. It is quite amazing that people in Pittsburgh have more babysitters and sick parents than fans in other cities.
So what is the big deal if people leave early, My time, my season ticket and my call if I want to leave early. I didn’t know we were in jail at the paint can.
No bid deal except creating a culture of leaving, killing the arena atmosphere and vibe, and providing no crowd noise during the most important moments of the game thus decreasing the quality of game experience for fans.
Nobody leaves during the most important moments.
Chalk, certain athletic contests are called “spectator sports” because they involve….spectators. Your concern about someone dictating to you about when you should leave a game is a classic non sequitor. The presence of spectators attending a spectator sports is about the atmosphere of support for the teams in the arena, the stadium, the Colosseum, whatever venue you choose to leave early from. The players routinely state that they feed off the supportive atmosphere from the fans. Thus, hoping that spectators remain in the arena to support the Penguins, or any team, is not about dictating to anyone when they should… Read more »
Then why you go to the game at all? If it’s tied late in the game, do those fans stay and, effectively, stay away from their kids or parents a little longer? smh. Or are you suggesting that those who leave early *always* leave early? Not a great argument.
I didn’t say people always leave early but circumstances may dictate you have to leave the game. Anyway, who are you or anyone that has any business telling anyone when they can leave or stay.