Dan’s Daily: New Penguins Trade Target; Stamkos Boils in Nashville

BOSTON — This job can be a lot of fun, especially when your subjects are having a blast. The Pittsburgh Penguins locker room was raucous Friday night; the cheers could be heard down the long hallway at the TD Garden after Philip Tomasino scored his first goal as a Penguin, and it was the game-winner as the Penguins played one of their most complete games of the season. Tomasino is also a pretty good quote. He beamed as he called Evgeni Malkin a legend. Malkin was dangerously close to getting tossed Friday, but Boston defenseman Nikita Zadorov could (should) get a fine for jabbing Malkin from the bench. The NHL trade rumors are the same today as they were Thursday, with the Philadelphia Flyers in the middle of the chatter, and Steven Stamkos is stewing in Nashville as the Predators sink to the bottom of the league despite the enormous cash outlays in July.

It took me a day to wind down from an irritating Thanksgiving day schedule and an ice cream scoop worth of average pasta that cost $28, but I’d like to say thank you. It took me a lot of years, a lot of fights, a few wars, and more personal confrontations (don’t ask) to get to Hockey Now. The world isn’t making life easy for most in our industry who are struggling with the realities and roadblocks of 2024, but in Pittsburgh, we’re doing well and getting stronger. Even as I dined alone on Thanksgiving, enjoying my five bites of a fancy-named pasta that was essentially rigatoni with sausage and basil, there’s no place I’d rather be than on this job. It took a lifetime to get here, and that’s because if I had gotten here sooner, I wouldn’t have lasted 10 minutes.

Sometimes, life works out the way it is supposed to, and I cannot thank you enough for this career.

As part of my gratitude, I authorized the network to offer a 50% off Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. I hope I’m worth 20 bucks a year (I need two subscriptions just to afford that dinner!). No code is needed. Get a full year for an Andrew Jackson right here.

By the way, Dave Molinari is rejoining us beginning tomorrow. And for those who are too young to carry cash, Andrew Jackson is the big-haired guy on the $20 bill, kind of a wild president who barnstormed the country for four years after losing a contested 1824 election to the emerging establishment’s candidate. Jackson did some really good things, some really bad things, and his supporters nearly burned down the White House during a riot at his inauguration (Gee, sound like anyone you know?)

I had one pretty great history professor in college who loved offbeat stories. Jackson and family had to grab portraits of George Washington off the walls and run out the back door. But I digress. The 5-Mintue Penguins postgame video. We always deal with the bigger issues with a bit of forward facing.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: If you missed the Penguins’ 2-1 win, we’ve got the straight details of the surprising, structured, patient win here in the Penguins recap.

We always go a LOT more in-depth for the report card. The Xs and Os. How’d they do it? The player grades. Who played their best game of the season by a mile? Coach Mike Sullivan lavished praise, and we’ve got the players’ insights, too. It’s all in the Penguins Report Card.

PHN+: For subscribers, I sat down with one of the Penguins’ veteran players who has been around. He downgraded the current team in one significant area as compared to the past, noticed my surprised expression, gave a little laughing snort, and said, “That’s what I think.” It’s an educational read that made a few readers mad. Check it out–in the Penguins locker room.

Just $19.99 for the year, eh!

Boston Hockey Now: The flip side of the Penguins win in the Bruins’ loss. Boston was perplexed by the Penguins. From the Boston locker room, here are the Bruins’ takeaways.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

From Kevin Weekes. THIS would be a nifty pickup. I think we know what it would cost based on the Canucks’ needs.

👀
A name generating interest in the market is @Canucks F Hoglander. He’s 24, with cost certainty given his current 3Yr 3M AAV, and skilled. I’m told the Caps, Pens and CBJ are among clubs that’ve explored the possibility. #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/fNqb1S43gh

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) November 29, 2024

Sportsnet: Steve Stamkos was essentially shown the door via poor contract offers by the Tampa Bay Lightning after 16 years leading the franchise. He, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei signed with Nashville in July, but things are not going well. Instead of burning rubber at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville is becoming a tire fire, and Stamkos is getting pretty frustrated.

TSN: The New York Rangers tailspin continues. So, Kappa Kaako is back on the trade block, and could Mikko Rantanen top $14 million this summer?

Montreal Hockey Now: I write so many articles that I honestly can’t recall if I wrote this or just talked about it on a Live Chat, but Elliotte Friedman opined that Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach is the type of player the Penguins are looking for on the NHL trade market.

San Jose Hockey Now: A Gordie Howe Hat Trick and a player who has been through hell and back already this season. Klim Kostin had a night for the San Jose Sharks.

New Jersey Hockey Now: A win for New Jersey, but still an unhappy coach, Sheldon Keefe. OKkkk? Here’s the deets on the angry coach and the New Jersey Devils.

Detroit Hockey Now: It is a very important weekend for coach Derek Lalonde, but it’s not off to a very good start. This time the penalty kill gave the Motor City a flat tire, and trouble is brewing for the Detroit Red Wings.