Dan’s Daily: Oilers Need Quick Trade; Can Penguins Flip the Script?

The clock is ticking, and the clicks of the Timex are growing louder as the Edmonton Oilers near the end of the seven-day window in which they have to match the offer sheets for forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Philip Broberg. In response, Edmonton is beating the bushes of the NHL trade market but finding only bad deals. After roughing up the Pittsburgh Penguins this week, we flipped the script with specifics on how the Penguins could change their fortunes and surprise everyone. Elsewhere in the Daily, it seems many teams are turning their attention to the top PTOs available.

Do me a favor–check out WPXI’s Final Word at 11:30 tonight, right after the news. Paul Zeise, Chris Carter, and I will undoubtedly unpack some of the Steelers’ oh-so-exciting 9-3 loss in which they closely resembled a team with a young offensive line and bad quarterbacks. I suggested some hockey talk, too.

Otherwise, my only share is that we have a new city joining the network this week and are having discussions today about two more big-time cities. We’re also losing one of our valued part-time writers, as life is pulling him in a different direction.

Thank you to the few hundred new subscribers to National Hockey Now this week! The sale pulled in well over 60 new PHN+ members from Wednesday through Friday, about three times more than expected. Thank you!

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Perhaps I’ve been a little too dour on the upcoming Penguins season. Or maybe not. However, there is a path forward in which the Penguins can turn the tables and surprise everyone. The seeds of it are already being planted. Here’s exactly how the Penguins can be competitive.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Hey, hey. Two in a row?! The battling Buccos are below .500 and basically dead in the water, but they haven’t tossed in the towel yet. With some clutch hits and a pitcher piling up Ks, here’s the Pittsburgh Pirates recap.

Also, some bad news for the Pirates: Andrew McCutchen is on the 10-day DL.

Steelers Now: In any NFL game, there will be an injury or three. Coach Mike Tomlin updated several players after the Steelers heart-pounding, thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, 9-3 thrill ride. Here are the Steelers injuries.

Here’s Derrick Bell’s instant analysis of the game. The studs, the duds, and the new names you need to know. The complete Steelers analysis.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Ottawa Sun: Taking care of business can be tougher than it should be. Teams are willing to talk trade with Edmonton, but now that the Oil are in deep trouble, teams have upped their price for new GM Stan Bowman to move salary. Here’s some stinging criticism of the Oilers organization and some nuggets on the situation.

Wouldn’t it be funny if Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas was the GM that helped Edmonton out of the jam?

Montreal Hockey Now: Training camp is about a month away, and teams are getting set for “go time.” The Montreal Canadiens didn’t do a lot this offseason. Instead, they let the fruit ripen on the tree. However, before camp, here are the top Canadiens trade chips.

TSN video: Eddie Olczyk was on TSN, and he is bullish about the new Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s a bold prediction because it hasn’t been right in decades, but Edzo thinks the Maple Leafs will be one of the final four teams.

Colorado Hockey Now: There’s growing optimism in the Rocky Mountains that Mikko Rantanen will stick around beyond this season. The dynamic forward is another member of the expiring contracts club, but CHN reports there is growing optimism a deal will get done with the Colorado Avalanche.

Also, it seems captain Gabriel Landeskog is getting closer to a return, and there is now a timeline for his return to the Avalanche lineup.

Go, Gabe. Any player that rehabs as long and as hard as Landeskog has (two years) deserves every bit of wind in his sails.

Philly Hockey Now: There’s a new college free agent on the market after Matt Brodzinski didn’t ink his ELC after four years with the University of Minnesota. Here’s the scoop on the Philadelphia Flyers pass.

Now, let’s get to the PTOs.

New Jersey Hockey Now: A former Penguins prospect, a former New York Islander, and some hope. James Nichols looks at three potential professional tryout agreements for the New Jersey Devils.