Dan’s Daily Links: Penguins 50/50 for Playoffs, Whalers are Back!

Got an extra Billion dollars in your sock drawer? Me neither, Christmas presents ate up the first Billion bucks. The Ottawa Senators are now engaged in a Billion dollar lawsuit stemming from their efforts to build a downtown hockey arena. If you find that Billion, Sens owner Eugene Melnyk would like a word. TSN has calculated the Pittsburgh Penguins playoff chances, and the Carter Hart era began in Philadelphia with his mom in tears.

Never tell me the odds.

However, TSN did just that. The Penguins pace, projections, and history put the Penguins at a near 50/50 shot to make the playoffs (TSN)

The Philadelphia Flyers emotional wild ride continued Tuesday. New coach Scott Gordon, hot-shot goalie prospect Carter Hart, and mom in tears. There ya go (Yahoo)

Hart was taken 48h overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, and some were surprised. Filip Gustavsson was thought by some to be the best goalie in the draft. The Penguins grabbed Gustavsson at the end of the second round (62nd overall).

The Edmonton Oilers and coach Ken Hitchcock are mad that officials allow opponents to abuse Connor McDavid. Get used to it kid. The Hockey News thinks the Oil have a case (The Hockey News)

If you listen, you can hear Sidney Crosby still laughing. Welcome to the NHL, kid.

And here is The Hockey News Podcast previewing the upcoming World Juniors, which aside from the first two days of the NCAA tournament, is the best thing going (THN)

And to think this writer was the 2006 USA radio play-by-play guy when Phil Kessel played as 16-year-old on a team with T.J. Oshie, Patrick O’Sullivan, Matt Hunwick, Corey Schneider, and Bobby Ryan.  I’m old. And it was minus 54 degrees with wind chill in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

FIght! Poor Yanni Gourde. Dude was run into the turnbuckle, tried to pick a fight and was then quickly beat up. Lesson to the newbies, fighting heavyweights isn’t for newbies.

Perhaps somewhat connected–Daniel Carcillo hopes Corey Crawford, who just recently returned from a LONG absence due to a concussion, gets proper treatment for his latest concussion.

It’s OK to walk away, Corey. You’ve earned it.

And Sunday, cue the horns! The Hartford/Carolina Whalers will return for the first of two games this season. The Hurricanes will wear the green Whalers sweaters. (The News & Observer)