Dan’s Daily: Cup Final Begins, Fleury Wants to Stay in Vegas

Published

3 years ago

June 28, 2021

NHL trade rumors, marc-andre fleury, Pittsburgh penguins

The NHL trade rumors and trade chatter have gone ice cold over the last week. Teams are hunkering down for the expansion draft, and no one is quite sure what happens next. Marc-Andre Fleury tried to take himself off the NHL trade market, but we know that won’t work. We also examine the few physical defensemen who will be available via free agency on July 28.

Our latest “Off the Record” for PHN+ subscribers should turn a few heads later this morning, too. Oh, and the Stanley Cup Final begins tonight, too.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: If the Pittsburgh Penguins add some physicality and size to their blue line, these are the top four options, including one old friend, via NHL free agency.

Vegas: Sure, Marc-Andre Fleury wants to stay in Vegas. He made that clear, as did his agent Allan Walsh, but now is the time to put him on the NHL trade block.

The goal is a Stanley Cup, and Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer flatly said the Golden Knights are “not there yet.”

Ouch.

Stanley Cup Final, National Hockey Now network

First, if you’d like to put a few dollars on the action, DraftKings is where I’d start.

Sportsnet: The Stanley Cup Final preview–Montreal Canadiens vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning. The defensive shell Habs against the loaded Bolts.

Like many of you, I’m a lot less excited to watch this Cup Final without Vegas. This was to be Fleury’s crowning achievement. Instead, it will be a moment that one of the Hall of Fame members uses to argue against him. Anyway…

Detroit: Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now dropped five awesome tidbits about the Red Wings drafts, including…need to know Hanson Brothers facts.

Boston: Joe Haggerty dipped into the mailbag to address fans getting uneasy with GM Don Sweeney, which Paul brother should get beat up, and the coming Bruins activity on the NHL trade front.

NYI: So…What’s next for the New York Islanders who were so, so close to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1984 but now have to make changes?

Colorado: Adrian Dater did a hard look at the state of the Colorado Avalanche. From Brandon Saad to Gabriel Landeskog, big stories and possibly big changes are coming to the Avalanche.

Washington: Every time we mentioned available defensemen (for two years), Trevor van Riemsdyk’s name would pop up in our search or your comments. The Washington Capitals finally plucked van Riemsdyk out of Carolina, and they were pretty happy with the results.