Dan’s Daily: Playoff Predictions; The Karlsson Question

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ future is still a little cloudy. We know which direction general manager Kyle Dubas is headed, but how fast or slow will he go? I suppose Pittsburgh Hockey Now has done the hard-hitting stories over the past week, beginning with the Marcus Pettersson contract update. We followed that up with our pointed question to Erik Karlsson on Wednesday about his future with the team or a trade. Karlsson gave as close to a perfect yet honest answer as possible.

Elsewhere in the Daily, a Penguins prospect netted a hat trick, the J.T. Miller-New York Rangers trade rumors may not be over, the Montreal Canadiens are in the playoff hunt and feeling pretty good about themselves, and the next Winter Classic may not have any winter at all.

I hope you’re enjoying Pittsburgh Hockey Now this season. I really feel like we’ve done some great work–though I must admit my work got sloppy in late December because the travel wore me down further than I thought. The upside is that I also feel like we’ve seized greater access as our competitors pull back, and we’ve had some of the biggest stories, such as the one-on-one with Pettersson about contract talks. Believe me, if you could have seen his face when he shook his head, “No,” it would have made you feel some kind of way.

Yesterday, I lingered behind others so I could ask Erik Karlsson the big question (my esteemed colleague at NHL.com also has the quotes, so I can’t claim exclusive). Karlsson deserves a big credit for facing the question with good humor, honesty, and grace.

I’ll never be a reporter who has the GM’s ear, at least in Pittsburgh, but I think the guys in the room know that I treat them fairly. I hope you know the same. Thanks for being the engine that makes all of this go.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Tonight, the Penguins face the Edmonton Oilers. That means Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, with a power play that might be less potent this season but can still burn a team quickly. So, with recent penalty-killing struggles, Dave Molinari asked the PK guys the simple question–how do they plan to contain the best players in the world? Dave takes you inside the Penguins locker room.

A hat trick and video highlights: The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins put up several goals on former Penguins goalie Matt Murray (who relieved the starter), and it was the first hat trick for Penguins prospect Ville Koivunen.

PHN Video: Head over to our YouTube page for Coach Francis Anzalone’s penalty-killing breakdown. It’s for hardcore fans who want that next-level knowledge. FA loves the PK, and it’s one of his specialties. Grab a cup of coffee, and if you’d like to learn a lot about the game–check out the video session on the Penguins PK.

PHN: “It’s up in the air.” That was the honest quote from Karlsson about his long-term future with the Penguins. Would he request a trade if the Penguins take the longer route back to contention? We asked. Erik Karlsson answered.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Forever Blueshirts: The trade chatter isn’t dead yet. J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers won’t die because the Rangers remain interested. Would they part with a top prospect that the Vancouver Canucks “adore?” Here’s the Rangers trade chatter.

Philly Hockey Now: It was a trade that rocked hockey–Cutter Gauthier didn’t want to play for the Flyers. The Flyers management flew halfway across the world to talk to him but didn’t make a dent. So, the blockbuster trade went down, Gauthier to Anaheim for Jamie Drysdale. One year later, here’s how the Flyers trade is working.

Montreal Hockey Now: The Canadiens are in the playoff chase. They are right beside the Penguins despite being in the midst of a total rebuild. The team is feeling pretty good, and the GM is enjoying the challenge for his players. Kent Hughes talked trades, players, and his first-overall pick. There’s a lot of information and lots of optimism with the Montreal Canadiens.

Sportsnet: Will the Penguins make the playoffs? The folks at Sportsnet debated muddy Eastern Conference races and predicted who would get there. At least one thinks it will be the Penguins. Here are Sportsnet’s predictions.

NYI Hockey Now: The Islanders aren’t out of the playoff race, either. Despite the negativity and the prospective trades looming, believe it or not, the New York Islanders are in it.

Detroit Hockey Now: Daniel Sprong is officially entering journeyman territory. On Wednesday, Seattle waived the former Penguins, Capitals, Ducks, Canucks, and Detroit Red Wings winger.

Florida Hockey Now: A Winter Classic indoors without winter? The WC is finally coming to the Florida Panthers.

LA Kings: The Kings postponed their game with the Calgary Flames Wednesday because of the devastating fires that are popping up across southern California, including near Hollywood within a few miles of downtown LA. It’s a tense situation, and I wonder if the Penguins game on the 20th will be impacted. The NFL has contingency plans in place to move the LA Rams playoff game to Arizona on Monday. Of course, those are just sports. We’re going to hear a lot more about the devastation and some politics in the coming days. I’ll leave those discussions for news and political websites.