Dan’s Daily: NHL Clears Logan Mailloux, RFA Rumors, & Analyzing the Penguins GM

A little bit of NHL news is again beginning to trickle from the hockey faucet, or spigot for our hardcore Yinzer friends. We analyzed Kyle Dubas’s last 12 months of swashbuckling on the NHL trade market with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs. Dubas is definitely creating a pattern. The Nashville Predators have a good chunk of salary-cap space and are linked to some big names in the NHL trade rumors. The Tampa Bay Lightning sent the Brinks armored car to Brandon Hagel’s house, and Sportsnet delivered the latest RFA news and scuttlebutt.

The weather in Pittsburgh has been spectacular this week. Even downtown is bustling again (though seemingly aided heavily by college move-in week). It is worth a walk around town. Market Square is lit up, and the cultural district has outdoor seating. Just avoid Smithfield St. near 7th Ave. after 5 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Who is the best goalie ever? The NHL Network put forth three modern-day options, and I think the choice is pretty easy, though fans of Patrick Roy were not happy with me. Check out the PHN debate.

PHN+: Analyzing Kyle Dubas. No, we didn’t do it in a Freudian way, but his last 12 months of trades have not been safe decisions, nor has he been shy. What do the Maple Leafs and Penguins trades tell us?

Steelers Now:

Nate Herbig hopes to play. Others won’t vs. the Falcons tomorrow. The latest Steelers injury update.

Mike Tomlin likes his inside linebackers and his FB. The latest Steelers takeaways.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now:

The Pirates have won five straight against St. Louis. A big inning and a ‘Cutch blast sealed it Tuesday night. Get the quickie Pirates recap.

Andrew McCutchen did admit to a nagging injury that has hampered him for quite a while. Despite that, McCutchen keeps battling for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

There’s another Pirates ace in the making. In Greensboro, Bubba Chandler is throwing gas and posting zeros. The latest Pirates prospect report.

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now:

Montreal Hockey Now: Significant Montreal Canadiens and NHL news — Logan Mailloux has been cleared to play in the NHL.

I know young adults document every part of their life for social media, but kids, some moments are not meant to be photographed (at least without consent and thinking it over a few dozen times) and shared with your buddies. Mailloux’s troubles taught a lot of people a lesson.

Nashville Hockey Now: Barry Trotz is playing with a lot of salary-cap space and wants to make a splash. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Brett Pesce, or William Nylander. Which big name in the NHL trade rumors could the Nashville Predators plausibly snag?

ESPN: Brandon Hagel got PAID. The Tampa Bay Lightning put some cheddar on his crackers, some clams in his sand, and some bread in his pocket. Tampa signed Hagel to an eight-year deal worth $52 million.

Yeah, I took a double-take at that one. That’s a lot of scratch for one great year, even if he’s 24.

Sportsnet: The top 10 unsigned RFAs. Latest news & rumors from Luke Fox.

Trevor Zegras is waiting.

Florida Hockey Now: Not long into his sunshine tenure, Carter Verhaeghe is becoming a legend with the Florida Panthers.

Detroit Hockey Now: The Yzer-plan isn’t going so well. Bob Duff explains in painful detail how the draft-day struggles are haunting the Detroit Red Wings.

Colorado Hockey Now: But he retired?! Peter Holland signed a PTO to attend the Colorado Avalanche training camp.