Dan’s Daily: Malkin Doing Too Much; ‘Needed Change’ Boosts Islanders

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Pittsburgh Penguins playoff drive was complicated just a bit over the weekend when the New York Islanders made a splashy coaching change, and it paid immediate dividends. You and Evgeni Malkin have something in common; neither of you is happy with his game. Coach Mike Sullivan also shared some insights. The Ottawa Senators helped the Penguins in the standings with an emotional comeback win over the Philadelphia Flyers, and Corey Perry has a new NHL home way up north.

I didn’t get to see the NFL drama. My compulsion to save $100 put me in a Best Western in Tempe, which has terrible internet and no network TV. I could only watch in horror on Twitter, er, X, as the words “wide right” were Tweeted over and over.

The Penguins’ practice on Sunday was uneventful. Same lines. Reilly Smith got a good workout afterward. Sullivan did laugh about his fall after the first period. What the cameras didn’t show you was he saved it–he didn’t actually go down. Even his wife texted to see if he was OK. All is well.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The weekly catch-up on all things in the Penguins universe. From the Jake Guentzel murmurs to the third-period splat against Vegas. Dave Molinari’s weekly Penguins wrap.

I did a little digging. And then more digging. Evgeni Malkin is the center of the storm in the Penguins lineup. So is Erik Karlsson. Apart, they’re in positive territory. Together? Oh boy. Everything points to an incompatibility among two Penguins stars.

We got Malkin in the locker room on Sunday. He admitted, he can’t play one good game, three bad. Sullivan shared what he’s been telling Malkin, too. The full details on Evgeni Malkin.

The Penguins are five points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning in the wild-card race but have four games in hand.

NHL News & National Hockey Now

Philly Hockey Now: Former Flyer Claude Giroux helped the Penguins. He led a spirited Ottawa Senators comeback win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

NYI Hockey Now: Patrick Roy was the surprise choice to replace Lane Lambert behind the Islanders bench. No headlines, no rumors it was coming. The Islanders won Sunday, boosted by their new coach with some new ideas. More on the “much needed” change for the New York Islanders.

Detroit Hockey Now: One problem for the Penguins in the second half will be when the teams they are chasing start playing each other, like Sunday when the Tampa Bay Lightning’s five-game winning streak crashed, but the Detroit Red Wings were the team to beat them.

Honest question: Why do people who distrust “media” so easily believe fake media? There are “rumors” surrounding Patrick Kane’s future, but the winger may skate this week. More on Patrick Kane.

TSN: The Oilers say they did “quite a lot” of research and due diligence. This weekend, they signed Corey Perry.

The Athletic: A little NHL trade deadline chatter for you, though not reported talks. The Winnipeg Jets are under the radar (pun intended), and the five players who could help them get over the hump.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Sources tell James Nichols that Jack Hughes could attend the All-Star Game without playing, but he might participate in the skills competition. The New Jersey Devils news.