Dan’s Daily: Jarry Saga Re-Fired; Shesterkin Won’t Settle; Tamping Flyers Rumors

And here we go again. The Pittsburgh Penguins have had more sagas this season than the new Disney Star Wars universe. The latest and messiest is the situation in goal, where the team is now carrying three goalies, and coach Mike Sullivan is vowing to let the hot hand–not the highest paid–hand play. The Penguins also have a couple of injury updates, too. Elsewhere in the Daily, Larry Brooks scoffs at recent hints that Igor Shesterkin would sign for less than $12 million, an old friend destroyed Matvei Michkov rumors in Philadelphia, James Nichols’s mailbag in New Jersey includes the Devils trade upgrades, and what have we learned so far from the summer’s free agent signings and dealings on the NHL trade market?

Tonight, we will find out just how important that third period against Washington was. I tried to take the temperature of the room on Sunday after practice, but there were a few impediments, including several guys bringing their little ones to the rink. The Daddies and the crumbcrunchers were having a moment. Side note: Marcus Pettersson’s little guy is very Swedish and one of the cutest little dudes you’ll see.

But why is every comment here and on social media immediately negative? Oh, Sullivan will screw over Joel Blomqvist. Sullivan loves Jarry. I mean, seriously, are a few of you paying attention? Coach Mike Sullivan affixed Jarry to the bench last season and quickly benched him this season. It wasn’t the coach who delivered a five-year deal to Jarry. If you think that Sullivan has some sort of power over general manager Kyle Dubas, you’re probably a Steelers fan who assumes Sullivan has the same power as Mike Tomlin, which would be incorrect. I’m neither defending nor praising here, but I’m trying to help more fans understand the situation rather than seeing fans lob the bumper sticker slogans again and again. Trust me, the reality is much more complex and fun.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Let’s first get to the injury updates. Kevin Hayes will be out longer than expected and Matt Nieto is working his way back. Here are the Penguins injury updates.

Okay, let’s get into the goalie situation. Shelly Anderson had practice coverage on Sunday while I worked on a few other stories, and she got the first few questions on Jarry. Credit to Jarry; he answered them, but the situation is murkier than the Mon River after a storm. Sullivan’s actions and comments were clear but with lots of wiggle room. Here’s the Penguins goalie situation.

Steelers Now: How’s that for an immediate impact? With the game on the line, Russel Wilson floated one high in the air toward the endzone, and newly acquired Mike Williams ran under it for the game-winning touchdown. It was a great game and a big Steelers win.

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

NY Post: Larry Brooks indirectly scoffed at Kevin Weekes’ cryptic report that Igor Shesterkin could sign for anything less than $12 million. Brooks laid out the old-school case for paying the goalie big, big … BIG money.

Nope. I’m not paying a goalie that much money. When you look at the statistical and real-world differences between goalies like Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman, and Jake Oettinger compared to Shesterkin, give me the $8 million goalies and a good $4 million player over the singular goalie.

Philly Hockey Now: An old teammate stuck for Matvei Michkov. Some rumors and chatter are floating about that Michkov is a problem child. An old teammate tamped those down despite Michkov being a recent scratch. Here’s setting the record straight for the Philadelphia Flyers.

New Jersey Hockey Now: They’re starting to wonder if they have the stuff to be the Beast of the East. Trade upgrades and championship goalies are the questions for our James Nichols, who breaks down the New Jersey Devils.

Ottawa Hockey Now: He didn’t stick behind the bench in New Jersey, but Ottawa snapped him up as the new coach. Things are going pretty well up north, though having some real goaltending helps, too. Our Danny McCloskey put it all on the table: what to make of the Ottawa Senators and coach Travis Green.

Detroit Hockey Now: It’s Hall of Fame induction day, and a handful of soon-to-be hockey immortals are trying to savor every minute. Among the handful of inductees is a very worthy Pavel Datsyuk.