Dan’s Daily: Fleury Asked for Penguins Trade to Vegas, NHL-ESPN Deal

Without the shackles of employment, former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has been doing even more media than usual. He did a St. Louis podcast–because why not?–and dropped a few more bombshells on his time with the Penguins, including it was Marc-Andre Fleury’s request for a Penguins trade to Vegas. Also in the Daily, you can see the Penguins’ silly, silly goal. Next, the Penguins have two against the Buffalo Sabres, who will be without Jack Eichel, and more NHL trade chatter.

There are big rumblings starting in Buffalo about several players on the NHL trade block.

We’ll start with the Penguins’ incrediblee goal.

*Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Watch–the Penguins connected on 21 passes before Kasperi Kapanen ripped it home for the GWG.

Here’s the full story, gold stars, and bullet points from the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 win over New York.

The Penguins are in third place but have the fifth-best winning percentage in the division. They’re not safe yet.

Now to the main event…

*SinBinVegas: Our pals in the sin bin waded through a two-hour podcast from another city to pull this dandy. Jim Rutherford said Marc-Andre Fleury approached him–when it was clear that Murray was the choice to stay–and asked if Rutherford could facilitate a Penguins trade to Vegas. 

*This cracked up a few of us on press row. Call it dark humor from too many WebEx interviews with players. Penguins winger Jake Guentzel was asked–without the best shot and without being 6-foot-4, how does he find ways to score so many goals?

“So you’ve got to find different ways to score in this league, and however you can, you take it.”

Ok, then. Jake is definitely a coach’s son!

*Sportsnet: The NHL and the mouse ears are officially in bed together. Months ago, our Jimmy Murphy reported there was a good chance. I think I said no way. But here are the details — ESPN and the NHL sitting in a tree…

How in the hell did Sportsnet break the story about ESPN?! Bring back Gary Thorne.

For you youngsters, this is Gary Thorne. He was Doc’s equal. And just listen to the Civic Arena crowd. We didn’t just pop then sit down. Nope, we went nuts and kept going until exhaustion. The funny thing about a lack of cell phones: we didn’t stop to film others having a great time. We had to be in the moment, too (then go home and watch the Sportscenter reruns, over and over).

NHL Trade Talk

*TSN: The Buffalo Sabres are likely to put Eric Staal on the NHL trade market, soon. The Edmonton Oilers are reportedly interested. 

Buffalo also announced Eichel would be out for the two games against the Penguins this week. Hapless just became an upgrade.

*Torts is a legend:

Awesome pregame interview w/Torts: "The people that say it's 'my way or the highway' are people that just want to give me shit. Let's face it. If people say I'm not listening to players, they're out of their minds & quite honestly they can kiss my ass" https://t.co/hRSsHEHwgw

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) March 9, 2021

National Hockey Now

*Colorado: Jacob MacDonald is “living the dream.” MacDonald is also impressing the Avalanche. 

*San Jose: Kevin Labanc responded to being benched, and Devan Dubnyk is again a good goalie.

*Florida: Columbus and the Panthers put on a goalie clinic Tuesday night in the Panthers’ win. 

*Boston: You’ve gotta love the moxy of Trent Frederic. After he recently plastered Alexis Lafreniere, he yelled to the Rangers bench, “Who wants it?”