Dan’s Daily: Ba-Bye Capitals, Miracle Canucks, Penguins’ Pick Shines

An absolutely gorgeous Sunday with sunshine and comfortable temperatures was perfect for watching hockey. A Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick is shining brightly in the WHL playoffs while the Penguins cleaned house at their AHL affiliate. The Washington Capitals proved no match for the New York Rangers and are out. The Calgary Flames could fill up the NHL trade rumors, Rick Tocchet’s Vancouver Canucks pulled off a somewhat miraculous comeback win over the Nashville Predators, and a day after the Toronto Maple Leafs were caught bickering, there is some question if there’s a disconnect in Winnipeg as Colorado is quickly running them out of the series.

Sometimes I forget how far and wide these daily links columns are read. I had invitations to ride the bike to Raleigh and Boston before I left later Sunday morning. I kept it simple instead. A good ride up to Monaca, through Zelienople and onto my favorite little twisty run on Rt. 528 out of  Evans City up to Franklin.

Here’s my luck: I didn’t go far, but somehow, the good Lord sent a single rain cloud to pelt me. It didn’t seem to rain south of I-80 or north of Franklin (a 20-mile patch?), but that single cloud packed some small hail and just enough rain to make life miserable. I mean, c’mon! But the sunshine dried my jeans before I got home. All’s well that ends well.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Coaches J.D. Forrest and assistant Kevin Porter were terminated quickly (specifically, their contracts will not be renewed) after the WBS Penguins were swept in the Opening Round of the AHL playoffs. The Penguins cleaned house.

Dave Molinari’s notebook has some good news for the Penguins. In the WHL playoffs, Penguins’ 2023 first-round pick Brayden Yager is lightning up.

NHL News, Playoffs, National Hockey Now

NHL.com: Tootles, Washington Capitals, They slipped in and quietly slipped out of the Stanley Cup playoffs after being summarily swept by the New York Rangers in four games.

Sportsnet: After some dirt on the San Jose Sharks coaching search, there’s a little tidbit in Jeff Marek’s Rink Fries about former Penguins defenseman Libor Hajek (he was one of the several veterans sent to the WBS Penguins in training camp). He wants to return to the NHL.

TSN: Is there some discord in the Winnipeg Jets room with coach Rick Bowness? Players and the coach are not saying the same thing after the most recent lopsided loss to Colorado.

Watch the incredible comeback for the Canucks. They trailed Nashville 3-1 with three minutes to go, and they won. Vancouver leads the series 3-1.

Calgary Sun: The NHL trade rumors await anxiously. A tumultuous offseason lies ahead for the Calgary Flames. Trade Jacob Markstrom? Deal veterans? It’s going to be a rodeo in Calgary.