Dan’s Daily: Kessel Gets NHL Workout; Malkin Makes Big Admission

Evgeni Malkin admitted he’s not the player he once was for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a startling day at Penguins practice, and Pittsburgh Hockey Now has full coverage. Phil Kessel is getting an NHL workout with old friends. The NHL trade rumors surrounding Chris Tanev and Vladimir Tarasenko are going in different directions, and one may stick around past the trade deadline. Sportsnet delivered their 30 trade candidates to watch. And Connor McDavid went off in an 8-4 route over the Detroit Red Wings.

So, my little half-day vacay was nice. However, there was no food available on I-80 after 8 p.m. Monday. No joke, I stopped at three different truck stops for dinner. All were closed.

Truck stop diners closed?! After nearly 90 minutes of going up and down the interstate, I found an Arby’s just before they closed. Poor dude kind of tossed my bag of food toward me and turned off the lights. That was my bad, and if you’re a reader, sorry, man, but I was starving.

The next morning, the coffee shop beside my little motel wasn’t open either. It didn’t open until noon. The family restaurant 30 minutes away that I chose for breakfast? Yep, closed. I’m told the service economy up north has been crushed. There are no workers, and places are shortening hours or closing in frustration. Yikes.

And to the “outlet” that keeps using nearly identical headlines after games and following our opinion pieces, if you’d like some help, just ask instead of stealing. We know you don’t have previous media or hockey experience, but theft isn’t the way to get it.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Evgeni Malkin got candid about his game. He made perhaps the biggest admission he could make. Age is catching him. Here’s the story directly from Malkin in the Penguins locker room.

There was some good news. Malkin and Letang returned to Penguins practice.

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

TSN: Phil Kessel! I know a lot of you are following Phil’s job hunt closely. It’s probably coming to an end one way or another this week, as Kessel will work out for the Canucks in Abbotsford.

Abbotsford is where the Canucks AHL team resides, but the NHL team made the announcement. So, it’s now or never for Phil the Thrill.

Sportsnet: The 30 trade candidates to watch ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

CHEK TV (Vancouver): Rick Dhahiwa and Elliotte Friedman chewed the fat on the trade market. All we have is a tweet, not the TV segment. The pair had more on the saga and trade potential of Chris Tanev. The price is a first-rounder, but no one has yet offered more than a second.

New Jersey Hockey Now: And the Devils are getting hot. Uh oh, no good for the Penguins. For the first time in 2023-24, the New Jersey Devils won consecutive games.

NYI Hockey Now: A little help from Penguins West and things are not taking off under new coach Patrick Roy. The Seattle Kraken yielded a point but not two in a 2-1 shootout win over the New York Islanders.

Philly Hockey Now: There’s been some drooling in Philly over Casey Mittelstadt, but Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said he’s not shopping him. Take one off the NHL trade board?

Detroit Hockey Now: What can you do? When the best in the world decides he’s going to have a night, he’s going to have a night. Connor McDavid put up six assists in the Edmonton Oilers 8-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Ottawa Sun: It seems Tarasenko likes Ottawa. Maybe he doesn’t become trade fodder?