Dan’s Daily: Fleury Pulls New Prank; Penguins Rookie Makes Charge

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ NHL-heavy roster lost to a largely minor league Detroit Red Wings roster Tuesday, but that did not matter. Instead, emerging rookie Harrison Brunicke stole the show with an eye-popping game that forced coach Mike Sullivan to cut short his praise lest he create unreal expectations. However, Brunicke’s arrival could perfectly fit Erik Karlsson’s injury update. Elsewhere in the Daily, the fallout continued in Boston over Jeremy Swayman and the Bruins bickering. The Montreal Canadiens got the best-case scenario terrible news on Patrik Laine, and wait for it … Marc-Andre Fleury pulled another classic prank.

I was impressed with Brunicke in the Prospects Challenge. I think I made the comparison to rookie-year John Marino, but I didn’t expect this situation to explode as it did last night. Jack St. Ivany has been really strong in camp and the preseason, too (so, easy does it on the replace St. Ivany talk just to have the shiny new toy in the lineup).

It just so happened that someone asked Sullivan about Brunicke and Owen Pickering on Monday morning (*ahem) and wrote about them on Tuesday (*ahem), so PHN readers were once again ahead of the curve. Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas suddenly has some real options and a decision to make.

Side note: Live chat today at 1 p.m.! Shelly Anderson will cover the noon practice, but I may do the chat from the UPMC Lemieux Complex (TBD). To get notified of the live chats, exclusive videos, and locker room content, subscribe to the YouTube channel (it’s free).

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Hello, Harrison Brunicke. The kid shined, and the team … meh. So, here’s the Penguins postgame grades, including one player who suddenly finds himself in the bubble of making the team. Penguins report card.

PHN Video: Here’s the video of the kid just trying to remain humble as we media pukes surround the kid with some easy but dangerous questions in the Penguins locker room.

Some days, the Matrix aligns. Sullivan offered some non-updates on the injury front but also some cautious good news on Erik Karlsson’s injury.

PHN+: Use coupon code Dan10 to subscribe and join this hard-working band of sports media rebels. Before Tuesday night, we asked Sullivan about his young defensemen Pickering and Brunicke. He gave a glowing answer. We talked to Pickering, too. And I all came to the fore last night. I enjoyed writing this story and even the embarrassing interview for both me and Pickering. Check it out–the deep dive on the young Penguins defensemen.

The funny thing was that I caught Brunicke out of the corner of my eye watching me talk to Pickering, and I could feel he wanted to talk, too. I’m enjoying the hell out of covering these kids. You “rebuild now!” folks might get a convert purely for selfish reasons.

NHL Rumors, News & Hockey Now

Quick note: The NHL granted the Columbus Blue Jackets a temporary salary cap exemption. The team can remain under the cap floor for a “reasonable amount of time” because they paid Johnny Gaudreau a $2 million signing bonus in July, and they obviously did not intend to be under the cap. They’re currently $1.4 million under the cap floor.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: If you missed it yesterday, the Blue Jackets did the greatest thing teammates could do–they all showed up for Noa Gaudreau’s second birthday party. Also, the NHL announced that all teams would wear a Gaudreau helmet patch.

Montreal Hockey Now: It wasn’t great news, but it wasn’t the worst, either. Patrik Laine suffered a serious injury Monday, and he’ll be out for a good while, but it wasn’t the season-ender many feared. Here’s the Montreal Canadiens injury update.

Montreal Hockey Now: It was a wild night. Kirby Dach fought. Prospects had big nights. And WiFi was ejected after he crushed Ottawa Senators’ forward Tim Stutzle, causing injury. Will the NHL supplemental discipline give Arber Xhekaj a call?

TSN Video: Are the Boston Bruins running Swayman out of town?

New Jersey Hockey Now: The vultures are circling and the NHL trade rumors are about to explode. Swayman and the Bruins are reaching that point of no return when hurt feelings and rancor fill the room. James Nichols writes–hear him out–YES, Swayman should definitely be a New Jersey Devils trade target.

And…Marc Andre Fleury: