Dan’s Daily: Jagr to Keep Going? Tom Wilson Out Long Term

The Pittsburgh Penguins season is over, but New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba’s hits are increasingly under scrutiny. Our Dave Molinari delivered his own high hit to the NHL. Nathan MacKinnon netted a hat trick, but the St. Louis Blues survived for Game 6. Sportsnet updated the latest on the top 12 UFAs, including Kris Letang and Washington Capital forward Tom Wilson will be out well into next season.

I already know the comments on the Tom Wilson story. Please do your best to keep ’em within the bounds of good taste.

And–thank you for our best month EVER. Usually, our best two months are the free agent frenzy and trade deadline, but I think we’ve had a solid conversation and–if I do say so–playoff coverage that was really tough to beat. Even our special teams were solid.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Dave Molinari lined up the NHL. This week, Jacob Trouba and David Perron were largely unpenalized following Milan Lucic hitting goalie Mike Smith hard enough from behind that NHL concussion spotters pulled Smith out of the game. The NHL didn’t deliver any substantive supplemental discipline to anyone.

Molinari writes, forget it. Forget everything, including how to tie your shoes or your kids’ names. Who cares? NHL hits to the head column.

Alas, we never got to see Juuso Riikola in full bloom. The Finnish defenseman had promise, but another opportunity never materialized to stick with the Penguins, and he bolted for the Swedish Elite League. Pittsburgh Penguins news.

NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now

Thanks to Sportsnet for crediting their Letang quote to us. Too many national outlets take without attribution. They’ve got good people, from top to bottom.

Sportsnet: The update and rumors on the top 12 UFAs. From Letang to Evgeni Malkin and Claude Giroux. Here’s the NHL UFA list.

Washington: This is a bit of a shocker. Tom Wilson is out six to eight months after ACL surgery. Washington Capitals news.

The Caps are going to be in trouble next season. Nick Backstrom is hurting. Wilson will be out. They really don’t have a blue line or goalie, either.

NHL.com: We may have to take a trip to the Czech Republic in August to watch the Great Jagr. A 35th season? Probably! Jaromir Jagr is leaning towards another season.

Colorado: The Avalanche have Capitals disease–they can’t escape Round Two. The turkey was on the table on Wednesday night. Nathan MacKinnon had a hat trick, Game 5 went to OT, but St. Louis survived. Game 6 is back in St. Louis. And, as Adrian Dater writes, the ghosts of playoffs past are looming. Colorado Avalanche analysis.

Florida: Watch as Joe Thornton wraps up his season. His last? Or one more? He doesn’t know. Florida Panthers breakup day.

Montreal: We think the Pittsburgh Penguins had a bit more than a passing interest in Ben Chiarot at the NHL trade deadline but were never quite sure of the fallout or subsequent moves. The steady LHD is a UFA–will he return to the Montreal Canadiens?

Vegas: Golden Knights fans had a chat with beat writer Owen Krepps. Fans shared their favorite moments of the Vegas Golden Knights season.