Dan’s Daily: Sabres Total Meltdown; Penguins Trade Projections

The Pittsburgh Penguins season might have taken another left turn Saturday when defenseman Marcus Pettersson left the game with a lower-body injury. We’ll learn more this morning, but Pittsburgh Hockey Now looked at the internal options if Pettersson is injured, as well as went shopping on the NHL trade market for right-handed defensemen. Dave Molinari plugged the Penguins’ season into the league-wide picture and found there’s more opportunity than you think. Elsewhere, the Buffalo Sabres have absolutely collapsed, and even the coach is at a loss for words and ideas on how to pull back on the yolk. Should the Michigan goal be outlawed? And coach Rick Tocchet doubled down on criticism of his Vancouver Canucks.

TSN weighed in, and their segment is linked below, but should the Michigan goal be outlawed? It’s a matter of Fan vs. Game.

Let me explain. Fans love it because it’s new and different, and when a player such as Matvei Michkov pops one, it is kind of exciting. Why take that out of the game? The answer is simple. It’s playing with the puck off the ice—above the ice. The way to defend the Michigan goal is to either put a shoulder into the puck carrier’s chin to stop him cold or swing your stick.

You can’t have players swinging their sticks as a matter of defense—you just can’t. Otherwise, it becomes lightsabre hockey or fencing. Players will get hurt as more players can execute the move because more defensemen will stop it or try to stop it. Further, how long before someone figures out they can scoop the puck at the blue line, carry it lacrosse style, and throw it on goal from 30 feet? It opens endless possibilities that aren’t hockey.

Also, if the stick is for a moment above the crossbar, it should be called dead for playing the puck with a high stick.

I also have no problem with players policing the game until the game’s rules catch up. It’s cool, but it leads to uncool consequences. And that’s all I got to say about that.

Pittsburgh Penguins

PHN+: Use code Dave10 to save $10 on our exclusive content and read all stories ad-free. Dave Molinari plugged the Penguin’s struggles into the big picture, and the Penguins and Pens fans aren’t alone. The Penguins opportunity.

First, let’s look at the internal options for the organization if Pettersson is out for a while. I like one of the names on the list, but we’ll see what happens later today — options for the Penguins defense.

I had the story mostly written before Pettersson’s injury, but the blooming situation only made it more timely. The Penguins need a right-handed defenseman. Let’s be clear: General manager Kyle Dubas isn’t ordering drinks from the top shelf; he’s going to the Well drinks, so here are the available right-handed defensemen who could be Penguins trade targets.

With some irony, former Penguins defenseman (and a righty) Justin Schultz has retired.

Steelers Now: The Steelers couldn’t keep pace with the Eagles, and the Steelers comeback essentially ended when Najee Harris fumbled in the third quarter. The Steelers lost 27-13. T.J. Watt was a monster until he was injured. Here are the Dudes and Duds of the Steelers game.

And there’s good news in the T.J. Watt injury update.

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

TSN: Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff is at a loss. Exasperation. Utter confusion. The Sabres lost again Sunday, and Buffalo is in total free fall.

We’ve hired new beat writers for Buffalo Hockey Now. They’re getting their feet wet today and training, but we got to hire a former Penguins intern who is a good human and a loud social media outlet that loves sports. We should be getting some boisterous content from Buffalo as the nosedive continues.

TSN Video: OK, here’s the Canadian media perspective on the Michigan goal.

Sportsnet: The Canucks have not been as good as they could be this season, and coach Rick Tocchet has taken them behind the woodshed a few times. After a loss to the Boston Bruins, Tocchet doubled down on his criticism of his team on Sunday.

New Jersey Hockey Now: The Devils need some grit, but they could use some goals, too. James Nichols pulled out the credit card and went shopping–the available goal scorers on the NHL trade market.