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Dan’s Daily: Kings-Preds Make Trade, Seattle Influencing Trade Market
Just imagine the hearts pounding in Montreal as alarm clocks go off on Friday. A team, a fanbase, a culture that hasn’t been this close to Lord Stanley since 1993 but still has more Stanley Cup Banners and history than the league combined, is down 2-0 and facing a buzzsaw Tampa Bay Lightning without more than 3500 fans in the seats. The LA Kings made the first big swap on the NHL trade front, and we evaluate perhaps the biggest Pittsburgh Penguins trade chip.
I also haven’t seen a real fireworks show on the Fourth of July in years. My hunt for shows anywhere in a five-hour radius begins this morning. Maybe there are some tonight, tomorrow, AND Sunday that I can binge? Send ’em my way in the comments. Have two wheels—Will travel.
PHN+: For our + subscribers, we analyzed the possibility that Jake Guentzel is a Pittsburgh Penguins trade chip. Pros, cons, and…what fits. I also put a very subtle hint in there too.
If you’d like to subscribe to PHN+ — We’ll call it an Independence Sale–$19.99. Here ya go.
NHL Playoffs, NHL Trade Chatter, National Hockey Now
TSN: Since the Montreal Canadiens can’t have more than 3500 fans inside, they’re going to throw a MASSIVE party OUTSIDE for Game 3.
ESPN: The LA Kings and Nashville Predators made the first of several moves–Nashville couldn’t protect Arvidsson, LA could. And the NHL trade market took note.
Buffalo News: The Sabres officially introduced Don Granato as their new head coach. I REALLY liked how Buffalo played under Granato this season. I really, really liked it—seven takeaways from his “intro” press conference.
AZ Central: The Arizona Coyotes named a new coach. Alex Tourigny.
**Sportsnet: Zach Hyman and the Toronto Maple Leafs are far apart (*ahem, Penguins) on a new contract. And how the Seattle Kraken are influencing the NHL trade market.
Vegas: Golden Knights NHL trade block projections, including some interesting names at forward and, of course, the Vegas goalies situation.
Detroit: The rumor that won’t go away–Alec Martinez to Detroit.
Philly: Ryan Gilbert opines–No, not Seth Jones. Dougie Hamilton should be the Flyers trade target.
Boston: The Bruins are losing assistant coach Jay Pandolfo to the college ranks–Pandolfo is headed to Mike Sullivan’s favored stomping grounds: Boston University.
And lastly–my favorite story today:
**San Jose: There has been a raging debate in the hockey world since the NHL Draft began nearly 50 years ago. Where to select goalies? Some refuse to take a goalie in the first round while preferring to load up in later rounds. That thinking is more prevalent in hockey than the alternative.
Sheng Peng evaluates. So–is it EASIER to find starting goalies later in the draft?