Dan’s Daily: Penguins in Winter Classic? Jarry Likes Hot Dogs, Zegras Goes Dodgeball

So it’s not only two-time Stanley Cup winner Phil Kessel who likes hot dogs. Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry punctuated the NHL All-Star Game Skills Competition in Las Vegas by praising his teammate and the locker room offerings. Anaheim Ducks wunderkind Trevor Zegras, who likes to score Michigan-style goals, pulled off a must-see move that only Patches O’Houlahan and Peter LaFleur could emulate. And the NHL trade rumors are hitting Anaheim now that new GM Pat Verbeek is seated.

The NHL also awarded next year’s Winter Classic to Boston. Penguins fans may be interested to know the rumored opponent…*ahem.

It’s video-heavy today because sometimes words aren’t good enough.

Let’s start with the video. The Skills Competition is where Zegras’ amazing handiwork belongs (not in NHL games, in my humble opinion). Blindfolded, just like the movie, I have no idea how he did it unless the blindfold was not so blind. You have to watch the Trevor Zegras Dodgeball homage:

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: How do I follow that? A Pittsburgh Penguins winger was nearly perfect in the sharpshooting competition, and he finished second. Check out Jake Guentzel.

And Tristan Jarry likes…hot dogs in the locker room? Jarry drops some hot dog love in his post “game” presser: It’s good to see the Penguins goalie cut loose.

Are these two having fun or what?#NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/e6JcflvDWN

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 5, 2022

UPDATE: The Penguins PR released a backstage video. Guentzel and Jarry were playing a game and had to use the phrases, “That’s Vegas, baby,” “Hot Dogs,” and “Pond Hockey.”

Washington: Karill “the thrill” Kaprizov imitated one of Alex Ovechkin’s iconic goals in front of Ovechkin. The Washington Capitals captain approved.

Vegas: The coolest visual of the ASG weekend was the Fountain Faceoff in the Bellagio Fountain. There were several amazing scenes in the home of the Vegas Golden Knights.

NHL Trade Chatter, News & National Hockey Now:

Boston: The NHL awarded the Winter Classic to Fenway Park and the Boston Bruins.

No opponent has been named, but…gee golly whiz, what other team is Fenway connected to? You don’t need to be Ken Jennings to get this one…

Florida: The 2023 All-Star Game will be held in another not-so-bad location. Next year, Sunrise and the Florida Panthers get the gig.

Sportsnet: Now to the serious stuff. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman defended his own on Friday when he dismissed concerns of the Arizona Coyotes playing in a 5,000 seat college arena. He also didn’t put the boots to Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz who was more than testy with our oldest hockey buddy Mark Lazerus over a question about the Blackhawks’ future policies to prevent sexual assault.

Montreal Hockey Now: The biggest news out of Bettman’s annual ASG presser was his threat to move the NHL Draft out of Montreal if Canada doesn’t start to end the severe COVID-based restrictions. I know some truckers who cheered that one. The news de Montreal Canadiens.

32 Thoughts Podcast: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the situation in Anaheim and which players are most likely going to be on the NHL trade block, including Rickard Rakell.

TSN Video: More NHL trade chatter around CReporter Mike Johnson laid down the two teams he’s hearing that are interested in Claude Giroux: Colorado (we know), and maybe…Calgary?