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Dan’s Daily: Swayman Trade Talk; Penguins Surprise in Columbus
The NHL wants to extend the CBA as early as next summer. Multiple outlets started the NHL trade chatter surrounding increasingly disgruntled Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman and which teams should be interested in acquiring him. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospects and hopefuls beat the Columbus Blue Jackets NHL roster Thursday, and Mike Sullivan rattled off a litany of praise for specific players.
It was one of the best preseason games I’ve seen. In fairness, Columbus’s NHL lineup isn’t much above an AHL team, and they are going to stink this season, perhaps to epic levels, but the Penguins began to take it to them in the second period, then defended well in the third.
Sullivan seemed genuinely impressed by some of the performances.
And I can’t help but feel bad for Columbus. The offseason tragedy surrounding the Gaudreau brothers will remain especially difficult for them. Beyond the personal, the team isn’t very good at all. They don’t have anyone to rely upon, depth at any position, or simply a base of talent concentrated anywhere in the lineup. It’s going to be a very hard season. General manager Don Waddell might consider a few splash moves or taking on some bad contracts in exchange for high draft picks. Either fight the coming struggle or lean into it.
The Daily is cut short today. Twenty-plus-hour days that end after 2 a.m. with a jellied driving brain require a little bit of sleep.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: For the first time since training camp began a few weeks ago, Erik Karlsson joined Penguins practice. He wasn’t a full participant. Here’s the Penguins injury update.
So, you want Harrison Brunicke and Owen Pickering in the NHL lineup? (Yeah, I would enjoy it, too). It’s been done in the past. Here are the three ways Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas could clear space, including, but not limited to, Penguins trades.
PHN+: This week was quite possibly it. The last stand for 2019 first-round pick Sam Poulin.
Use coupon code Dan10 to save $10 and join this drive-all-night and get-up-early crew.
And last night … a beaming Mike Sullivan. Players who were pretty happy with their performances, which will lead to increasingly difficult decisions. It was the final audition. In our estimation, here are the winners and losers from the Penguins game.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
Sportsnet: Three teams that could trade for angry Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.
Daily Faceoff: Oh yeah? Here are four teams that could trade for Swayman. The team both lists have in common is the Utah Something Somethings. I don’t think we’ll see a trade, but I also know that Don Sweeney may not be in total command of what happens next.
Sportsnet: It sure looks like Nick Robertson is sticking around on the NHL roster. He was great Thursday night, scoring two goals and owning the game. Easton Cowan made a good run at the roster, but there’s no room at the inn.
TSN: Patrik Laine could have had surgery for his injured knee. He also had the option to rehab it. He chose the latter and explained why (probably the right choice). Also, shortening the preseason and dirty hits.
Canada is talking about shortening the preseason–but realize that extra games are why Harrison Brunicke and Owen Pickering have been able to shine. Perhaps Jesse Puljujarvi, too. Five or six is just fine–just not all in ONE week.
News: The Calgary Flames signed Tyson Barrie to a one-year deal worth $1.25 million. The NHL suspended Morgan Geekie for one preseason game. The Chicago Blackhawks sent promising forward and Rutger McGroarty’s Michigan linemate Frank Nazar to the AHL.
TSN: Gary Bettman wants to jump on CBA talks by June and extend them as quickly as possible.
Washington Hockey Now: There is one big roster battle in D.C. It’s not about who gets that house on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, but whether coach Spencer Carbery will choose Jakub Vrana.