Dan’s Daily Links: Phil Kessel Tops Trade Bait List, Wild Western Final

The Western Conference Final has become an epic Rocky IV type battle, though it’s doubtful San Jose fans will switch sides halfway through the series. The awful blown call which decided Game 3 could have crumbled the St. Louis Blues who instead survived a wild finish and won Game 4. Pittsburgh Penguins winger Phil Kessel is atop the TSN Trade Bait list. And Boston’s top line could decide the Stanley Cup Final.

Respect to the Phil Kessel Army, there is a high probability the enigmatic winger who is beloved by fans by less so by coaches will suit up elsewhere next season. TSN is now hip to the situation, too (TSN)

Here’s a recap of Game 4 of the Western Conference Final (NHL.com)

The St. Louis Blues fourth line set the tone Friday night. Former Penguins farmhand Oskar Sundqvist is a big part of that (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

The trade winds are blowing. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox wrote–Beware the teams with multiple first-round picks like Colorado and the Rangers (Sportsnet)

Will Jake Hughes be the first overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft? That’s no longer a sure thing. There’s a real contender making a charge at the Worlds (NHL.com)

I’ll take Kaapo Kakko. His size and skills will be a shorter transition to the NHL game. Perhaps I also prefer Kakko because I was more impressed with him than Hughes at the World Juniors, too. Hughes had a very slow start to the WJCs, and Kakko has produced at every opportunity.

The Boston Bruins top line finally got in gear later in the Eastern Conference Final. When Marchand and Bergeron are clicking…look out. (Boston Hockey Now)

Pittsburgh Hockey Now spoke with Providence Friars head coach Nate Leaman who recruited and coached Kasper Bjorkqvist for three seasons. As Leaman was kind enough to do last summer, he provided PHN with insight into Bjorkqvist’s progression and professional readiness (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)