Dan’s Daily: Sabres Unhappy with GM; Devils Shock; Penguins Attitude

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a few new attitudes, from Tristan Jarry letting it go to defenseman Conor Timmins adjusting to leaving his hometown team. Following the NHL trade deadline, it seems the Buffalo Sabres players are a bit disgruntled with their management. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald casually dropped terrible injury news in a larger answer. In the latest bit of Mikko Rantanen drama it seems he rejected a deal to the LA Kings, and Islanders changes are coming.

We’re in the home stretch now and it’s not going to be a banner spring for National Hockey Now. It seems most of our teams are going to be out of the playoffs. It’s quite the statistical anomaly. So, I’ll be doing a lot of WBS coverage.

The boys have a shot at a real playoff run.

With any luck, they’ll be playing one of the closer teams, instead of Charlotte in the first round. Of course, our WBS coverage will focus less on results and more on the players’ progression. It will also be for PHN+ subscribers.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Injured defenseman Ryan Shea hit the ice in a limited capacity, but the more immediate news were the new Penguins lines.

Conor Timmins was playing for his hometown team and a Stanley Cup contender. He was summoned at practice and woke up the next day with a different team. Now he’s on a rebuilding team but getting a bigger opportunity on the Penguins blue line.

And I wrote a bigger column than I expected. From a few feet away in the locker room, read more on my observations is on the changing tenor and tone, which seems to be a changed Tristan Jarry.

Steelers Now: Still no Aaron Rodgers, and Russel Wilson may not be there for them, either. Here’s the latest on the free agent QB who may bolt the Steelers.

NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now

NTR: Is it just me, or is Rantanen starting to look bad? It’s an aggregated piece about the DFO podcast, but Frank Seravalli reported the LA Kings took a run at Rantanen, but he said no.

Jeff Marek, The Sheet podcast: Buffalo Sabres reporter Lance Lysowski didn’t sugarcoat things. After years of losing, and not improving, players are unhappy with the general manager, and it seems they’re talking. Lance doesn’t know how Kevyn Adams keeps his job.

I guess it was a podcast sort of day. The other big news of the day was New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald casually slipped into the conversation that Dougie Hamilton is done for the year.

#NJDevils GM Tom Fitzgerald says Dougie Hamilton’s regular season is over—and he didn’t sound too optimistic about a playoff return either. “This is what we have,” he said on @simmerpuck‘s Krackin’ Canuckleheads podcast. pic.twitter.com/ghj5JVfeUv

— Mark Fischer (@MarkFischerNY) March 13, 2025

NYI Hockey Now: The ship is sinking. GM Lou Lamoriello said changes are coming, but doesn’t yet know how many. The team isn’t helping their cause and coach Patrick Roy has ripped a couple of players. How low can the New York Islanders go?

Sportsnet: All Capitals rebuild content will come with a disclaimer that they were able to remove millions off their books years before it was time. However, here we go. What we can learn from the Capitals’ summer rebuild.

Vegas Hockey Now: The Golden Knights don’t have a goalie problem, but … maybe they really do? Hill or Samsonov? Samsonov or Hill? Go inside the Golden Knights biggest decision.

TSN: The last rumor bit of the day is in Buffalo, too. Paul Bissonnette might want to avoid the reporting. He’s been in players’ crosshairs recently and he uncorked a big report that Rasmus Dahlin told Sabres management that the have to start winning or he wants out. Dahlin angrily knocked down that report.