Dan’s Daily: Trades Set Penguins Choices; Phil Kessel Pounding Pavement

The flurry on the NHL trade market last week set forth the fork in the dirty road and the choices for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jake Guentzel. Pittsburgh Hockey Now put forth Guentzel’s trade value and the factors in the Penguins’ decision. We’ve also got more from the All-Star Game in Toronto. Elsewhere in the Daily, Phil Kessel is still stumping for a job. The NHLPA has had enough of the Arizona Coyotes’ failure to institute an arena plan and ripped the org.

I will attest that the Mullett Arena is not fit for the NHL. It’s smaller than Wheeling’s Wesbanco Arena. The scoreboard video screen is not much bigger than the TV in some of your living rooms. There’s no Coyotes branding at all. It’s inadequate in most regards (except the views for folks at center ice and “luxury” boxes), and each time I’ve been there, opposing fans have outnumbered the home fans.

I also think we’re going to get some bigger Penguins news today. I was going to make the drive to Allentown to get another good look at Jesse Puljujarvi, but he was scratched. Whew. Practice is at 4 p.m. Stay tuned.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Calgary dealt Elias Lindholm to Vancouver. Then Montreal traded Sean Monahan to Winnipeg. The effects will do more than trickle down to the Penguins; they’ll have a significant impact on the path forward. Also, Jake Guentzel is rumored to have turned down a healthy contract. A full analysis of how it all affects the Penguins’ options.

All right. Enough. People ripping Sidney Crosby for not attending the All-Star draft. Nikita Kucherov loafing. And the general mockery that comes along with All-Star weekend. The NHL has international tournaments in each of the next two years, and Saturday should have been the last ASG. Yep, here are the real and serious reasons why it’s time to dump the NHL All-Star Game.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Boston Hockey Now: Here’s a new name on the NHL trade block. I’ve circled him in the past, but now even Tomas Hertl is open to the idea. Maybe not this month, perhaps in the summer, but Hertl would be a prime Boston Bruins target.

Sportsnet: “There’s value there.” Rick Tocchet says Kessel should have a job. Clayton Keller agrees. The deadline is approaching. Will someone sign Phil Kessel?

I’ve read a few versions of the story, and I think this is the best one. NHLPA head Marty Walsh took dead aim at the Arizona Coyotes and their arena situation with words like “unacceptable.” He’s very much in favor of immediate relocation if Arizona ownership cannot submit an arena plan ASAP.

TSN: Oh by the way, Auston Matthews’ team, with coach Justin Bieber, won the All-Star Game. Whew!

If you’re following the 2018 Team Canada sexual assault charges story, Monday is the day the charges will be levied in court. However, lawyers are already pouring over evidence, including disputed cell phone footage.

For legal reasons, I’ll ask readers not to opine or comment on the Hockey Canada story.

Montreal Hockey Now: OK, Monahan is gone. Next up is goalie Jake Allen. This is an intriguing valuation. What will Allen fetch in a Canadiens trade?

Nashville Hockey Now: The Music City Mailbag … Michael Gallagher hits what it will really (really) take to trade for Juuso Saros.