Dan’s Daily: Top Prospect Could Fall to Penguins; Torts Raw; Pens Gets Crushed

TAMPA, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Penguins were obliterated Tuesday night by the Tampa Bay Lightning. We did a breakdown piece instead of a report card because the first sentence essentially covered the analysis. The Penguins recap has the gory details with some strong snark, while the breakdown shows exactly what happened and why it was 100% avoidable. Elsewhere in the Daily, the NHL rumor mill is churning that Chicago will go big for Mitch Marner if he’s on the free-agent market, John Tortorella unleashed some interesting comments that may signal his end in Philadelphia, Jakub Chychrun signed a big-time deal with the Capitals, and Craig Button’s new draft rankings may be interesting to Penguins fans.

Also, Alex Ovechkin scored again. He’s just six goals away.

Watching the third period of the Penguins game and realizing that many of you were also still watching made me feel like the old joke- I came home to find my wife in bed with my best friend. I said, “Lenny, I have to. But you?!”

Also, I re-adjusted my travel schedule to attend the Penguins’ rescheduled practice today. They were supposed to practice on Monday, but the hard-fought point against Florida earned them a day off. I’ve had a sit-down interview scheduled this week with Tristan Jarry. These are quite rare in March and rarer still with Jarry. I have several deeper questions about his situation and journey this season, but I’ll admit to you that I also told the Penguins’ staff last night that I’m cool if he isn’t up for it today and wants to push it back.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: There was a storm brewing in Tampa Bay. The Penguins were not merely the victims but the cause, too. Jarry stopped only three of seven shots before getting the hook. The defensemen were puck-watching. And it all started at the morning skate. If you are into horror movies, here is the full Penguins postgame.

Analysis: If the recap is a horror, then the analysis piece is a monster movie, and I’m the monster? Instead of player grades—almost everyone would have received an F—I showed the incredible breakdowns that led to goals 3 and 4, as well as the awful play of the other defensemen. Ryan Graves had the opposite of a game. It was a white flag surrender night for the Penguins’ defense.

Steelers Now: The free agent frenzy is over, so Alan Saunders has the skinny on which Steelers needs remain unfilled.

Also, Russel Wilson has signed in the NFC. Now, there’s no backup plan for the Steelers. Here’s the Steelers news.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Five takeaways thus far from Pirates Spring Training.

NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now

TSN: As it will be quite important in these parts, here are Craig Button’s new 2025 draft rankings with a new No. 2. Also, if you want to get deeper into it, you can watch Button break down the players here.

James Hagens fell to No. 6, by the way. Hagens was last summer’s presumptive No. 1 pick. He would be an extremely good get for the Penguins. And, yes, he’s from Boston U.

Philly Hockey Now: John Tortorella didn’t rip anybody but himself. The coach got raw, and it looked and sounded like the beginning of the end for Torts with the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Athletic ($): My buddy Mark Lazerus despises the term “rumors” when there’s a credible report. Well, here’s one that includes Chicago planning to take a run at Mitch Marner this summer. It’s a report, not a rumor! Oh well, here are Laz’s latest Blackhawks rumors and analysis.

TSN Insiders: More on goalie interference complaining, as well as Jakub Chychrun’s new eight-year, $72 million contract.

For the record, that’s the exact AAV I predicted on the most recent No Pucks Given.

New Jersey Hockey Now: A couple of days ago, New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe seemingly ripped defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic. Yesterday, the coach untangled the comments with our James Nichols. The player and coach are fine, but it was a viral moment captured by NJ Hockey Now, and Keefe understands our job—it’s still a tense time with the New Jersey Devils.