Dan’s Daily: NYR Coaching Search, Penguins-Islanders Breakdowns/News

The New York Rangers house cleaning continued on Wednesday as coach David Quinn, and most assistants got the ax. There are a few names that are reportedly already on the top of the Rangers list. We broke down the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders coming Round One series, which STILL doesn’t have a start date. There’s news on Jonathan Toews’s return, women’s hockey, and the National Hockey Now network.

Seriously, NHL, it’s Thursday. Can we get a schedule, please?

For what it’s worth, NBC has two unfilled game slots at noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Also, the Penguins can have DOUBLE the number of fans on Monday. No, I would not be surprised if someone made a few discrete phone calls to push the Penguins Game 1 to Monday–that’s a lot of money in a season full of lost revenues.

And no one likes the noon slot for a regular-season or playoff game. NO ONE.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The full analysis–The Pittsburgh Penguins vs. the New York Islanders and the four key points on which the series hinges. 

This isn’t 2019, for sure.

PHN+: Coverage from the Penguins practice facility in Cranberry, including some video from the scrimmage and an update on Evgeni Malkin 

**We appreciate all of the new subscribers! We’re the homegrown sports outlet taking on the Silicon Valley giant burning through tens of millions of dollars (“Burn rate”). Your support means everything.

NYI Hockey Now: Goalie Semyon Varlamov missed practice again. Trotz says it’s no worry. 

Uh-huh. Sure. Your starting goalie and your star center aren’t yet ready for the series. In the words of Alfred E. Newman, “What, me worry?”

It is playoff time (I should give free subscriptions for anyone who gets that reference above. I won’t, but I should!).

NHL.com: Brian Hedger did his best Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders series breakdown, too. 

NHL and National  Hockey Now

NY Post: New Rangers GM Chris Drury (who was thought to be on the Pittsburgh Penguins shortlist in January) fired coach David Quinn and most of the staff on Wednesday. Here’s more on that, and the early coaching favorite, Gerard Gallant, expected to get an interview posthaste.

Buffalo News: Mike Harrington swats at the soap opera. Jack Eichel wants experimntal surgey. Team says no. GM Says Eichel has NOT requested a trade. Like sands through the hour glass, these are the Days of Our Lives…craziness in Buffalo. 

Boston Hockey Now: Bruins GM Don Sweeney wants to get something done with Taylor Hall. They’ve been a great match so far. 

Florida Hockey Now: This could impact the Penguins series — George Richards is hearing Florida vs. Tampa Bay will start Sunday night.

Vegas Hockey Now: Vegas steamrolled the San Jose Sharks, 6-0. Marc-Andre Fleury was fantastic and got the shutout, his NINTH straight win. 

To win the Honda West Division, Vegas needs the LA Kings to beat the Colorado Avalanche tonight. Fleury has done his part, eh?

Colorado Hockey Now: The Avs have a shot at the President’s Trophy too–but can backup goalie Jonas Johansson win the finale?

TSN: Not that it matters much in Pittsburgh, but TSN’s Draft rankings are out and Craig Button says it’s defenseman heavy. 

Women’s Hockey remains a fascination of “new world values” vs. “economic realities.” If or when I’m ever able, I’d surely bring a franchise to Pittsburgh. But the economics of women’s hockey is still iffy, at best. The players want to be fairly compensated like professional athletes who devote their lives to the game. The league says…sure, but with what money? So, the top players boycott the league. They have to get on the same page so that they can go to the NHL for support. It’s critical for survival.

Sportsnet: The NHL might support a women’s hockey league IF the two factions, the NWHL (the league) and the PWHPA (the players union), come together and submit a proposal. 

If you’re interested in the schism in women’s hockey, here’s a synopsis. 

For the rest of the playoffs, the Daily will be a collage of Pittsburgh Penguins news, Opponent news, and the rest of hockey.