Dan’s Daily: Wild Join Laine Trade Talk; Penguins’ Biggest Obstacles

Bill Guerin and the Minnesota Wild are lurking on the NHL trade market. Reports indicate Minnesota will join the Patrik Laine sweepstakes. A day after looking at the Pittsburgh Penguins glass as half full, we turned toward reality and the three biggest issues facing the team. Tomorrow is the day many fans with faith and superstition assume Sidney Crosby will sign a contract. Elsewhere in the Daily, Sportsnet put forth the questions for each Eastern Conference team, DFO ranked the best remaining UFAs, Flyers prospects dazzled at the Team Canada Showcase, why Vegas traded for Alexander Holtz, and we look at Pierre-Luc Dubois’s chance for a reboot in Washington.

So, we played it cool this summer. We’ve been plugged into the Crosby situation as much as anyone, and we’ve tried to keep it balanced and work from all angles. I do think it’s a “situation,” and while a big announcement could happen tomorrow, it doesn’t feel like that’s going to happen. The Marcus Pettersson story from last week was the missing piece of the puzzle.

I should write a big column on it, but I’m also trepidatious that one side could decide to push forward and get it done for the sake of closure and the poetic ending. Last week, my update from sources was, “Nothing has changed.”

Perhaps tomorrow.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: From the uncertainty to the roster construction issues, the Penguins’ quest to wash away the sour taste of two straight playoff misses is shaping up to be an uphill climb. Here are the three biggest issues facing the Penguins team.

I know some of you like to jump on the latest sportsbook promos. The newest entrant into Pennsylvania is Bet365.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: There are four really good stories on PBN today–check them out. Bubba Chandler rebounded, and the new kid, Yorke, is making quite the impression. Here’s the latest on the Pirates prospects.

Steelers Now: Ok, it took the internet by storm. A STEELERS TRADE!! BRANDON AIYUK! IT’S HAPPENING! Except, it wasn’t. Steelers fans were jumping at every Twitter account that claimed to know something. Yet, it might happen. It could happen. Alan Saunders has the latest on the potential Steelers trade.

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

The Athletic ($): Patrik Laine. Minnesota Wild. Sources say the Wild will indeed have a conversation with Laine about playing in the land of 10,000 lakes, awesome bright green and yellow alternate kits, and terrible regular sweaters. General managers are certainly slow-walking this trade for due diligence.

Washington Hockey Now: The Great Reset and Fourth Chance, or so the Washington Capitals hope. Former GM (before being promoted) Brian MacClellan made the splashy gamble to swap Darcy Kuemper to give Pierre Luc Dubois a fresh start.

Colorado Hockey Now: The Colorado Avalanche got one of the last remaining talents on the free agent market, but the signing complicated and crowded their blue line. Oliver Kylington has a new home.

Daily Faceoff: These are the top remaining UFAs (though some have signed since publication, such as Kylington) on the market.

New Jersey Hockey Now: So, why did Vegas trade solid prospects for New Jersey Devils fading prospect Alexander Holtz? It was a little bit of a surprising deal when it went down at the Draft, but Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon gave his explanation for the Devils trade.

Philly Hockey Now: The Flyers are flush with potential. They have stocked their system with prospects like a Butler County game warden stocking the stream with trout. At the Summer Showcase for Team Canada, the plethora of Flyers prospects shined.

Sportsnet: Here are the questions for each of the Eastern Conference teams, from the Penguins to the top and to the bottom.