Dan’s Daily: Arguing Rebuilds; Sabres Disaster; Sidney Crosby Smiles

The Pittsburgh Penguins couldn’t help but smile after stealing a win in Nashville. Sometimes, bad games that end in victory don’t feel good, but other times, they’re a cause for celebration when a team discovers that it can indeed steal a win. In the latest Penguins Q&A, we put expectations in context and offered some judgment on GM Kyle Dubas’s efforts thus far. Elsewhere in the Daily, Matt Murray won his first game in 21 months in a triumphant return to the NHL. The Buffalo Sabres had two goals nullified and are an absolute disaster area. The Montreal Canadiens have opened the door to more NHL trade chatter, and that Mitch Marner contract talk has gone quiet.

Since the Penguins didn’t practice Friday, I got an earlier flight to New Jersey but first spent the day in Manhattan. Truly, sometimes this job can beat the snot out of you, especially with the crazy Penguins schedule this season, but I had a beautiful day Friday. Walked through Strawberry Fields (where John Lennon planted a strawberry patch off 72nd St.) just as the street performer started Imagine. I got dinner at my favorite little Italian spot on Mulberry St. (where I intruded on a meeting that I won’t be speaking about. I didn’t see a thing), but it wouldn’t be NYC if Dan didn’t get into a spat.

What would you do in this situation?

The train from Penn Station to Newark was overfilled, and yes, I was exhausted. I attempted to sit down in a four-person “booth” that one person had claimed for herself. Clearly not a classy person, she sat in the middle on one side of the bench and extended her legs toward the bench facing her. The bench facing her was the last seat on the car, and I sat down in the inch of space she didn’t claim. So, she moved her large legs wider, hitting mine. I looked at her with a bit of bemusement and incredulity but didn’t budge. So, she did it again and said to me, “The word you’re looking for is ‘excuse me.'”

I replied, “No. You don’t slide right when I’m sitting here. We’re good.” Then, she made a point to slide further right, hitting my legs again, thus taking any space I had. So, I smiled and said, “Alright then,” and I manspread my legs, moving her left down the bench. She, of course, didn’t react well, as I grabbed my backpack and walked away. She excoriated me to grow up as I left with a large smile.

Most of you would have taken the high road and left immediately. I suppose I could have. I just don’t accept people acting so rudely, you know?

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Matt Murray. Remember him? For the first time in almost two years, the goaltender was back in the NHL, and he won. It’s been a long road back for the Penguins’ Stanley Cup-winning goalie.

Someone just had to ask. Sidney Crosby was waiting for someone to ask about his goal slump because that’s what turns it around. He popped four points, including a goal Thursday. The Penguins locker room was all smiles. They’ve had to learn a few hard lessons, which helped them take one away from Nashville. Here’s the story and the raw Penguins locker room video.

It had been a while since I’d done a real Q&A. So, after changing flights to an earlier one, I had some writing time to dedicate to you. The questions were heavyweight caliber, but we also got into the fan issue of wanting to lose. I realized it was getting deep when I wrote the line, “If you’re middle-aged, you’ve possibly seen the last Penguins Stanley Cup (of your lifetime).” It was also a fun Penguins Q&A.

Steelers Now: It’s Ravens game day. Get the betting lines, TV coverage, announcers, and everything else you need to know for the titanic Steelers game.

Darn right, I stood my ground!

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

TSN Insiders: The Mitch Marner talk has been silent. The Montreal Canadiens flung open the door to more trade rumors when they acquired Alexandre Carrier. Now, they have depth and talent, which could make Mike Matheson or David Savard more expendable.

Montreal traded the equivalent of Jack St. Ivany for Carrier. I still think the Penguins missed out on Carrier.

Sportsnet: Arguing the tear-down rebuild. It seems most teams that have embarked upon the nuclear option fail. And they remain stuck in some netherworld hockey purgatory, or worse, Buffalo. Justin Bourne makes a real case for never going to a tear-down rebuild.

New Jersey Hockey Now: It’s not easy being a young defenseman in the NHL. New Jersey demoted Simon Nemec, and GM Tom Fitzgerald had to get real with the New Jersey Devils prospect.

NYI Hockey Now: Last week, I asked Penguins players if they were happy with where the team was. Russ Macias did something similar, asking the Islanders what they needed to change to get over .500. He, too, got some good answers, including from Patrick Roy. Here’s the flip side in the Islanders locker room.

Florida Hockey Now: Checking in with the Stanley Cup champs/favorites- Sasha Barkov put on a clinic Friday night, and St. Louis couldn’t hold him down as the Florida Panthers won in overtime.

WIVB: Murray beat the Buffalo Sabres, who had a pair of goals overturned, including one late that would have sliced their deficit to one with four minutes to play. The “despair” in Buffalo has reached 12 games in a row.

Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings can’t get on track. One step forward, two steps back. Beat Montreal, feel good. Friday, give up a two-goal lead, lose to Montreal, and feel bad. That’s been the season for the Detroit Red Wings.