Dan’s Daily: Anti-Trade Rumors, Penguins Options

If the Pittsburgh Penguins won’t show up in any NHL trade rumors, we’ll take a day and make this a safe space from the bubbling chatter. No matter if the Columbus Blue Jackets have a deal in place for Vladislav Gavrikov but are hunting a third team to eat salary. The New York Rangers acquired bottom-six help. Patrick Kane nailed his trade audition against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a hatty, the Boston Bruins put Jake DeBrusk off-limits, and you’ll be interested to know what an NHL scout said about Jeff Carter.

It’s been a good while since I’ve seen Penguins fans this jumping ugly, although I’m pretty positive I will sell T-shirts for charity that say, “Your Favorite Prospect Isn’t That Good.”

Just remember, prospects can, in fact, be worse. Just because they don’t have baggage, and you haven’t seen them enough to know their flaws, doesn’t mean the pros aren’t watching them. Those pros also hope they are the answer. It’s one thing to zip one past an AHL goalie from 25 feet. It’s another to play against the best in the world. And, remember this: No one is being held back because Mike Sullivan hates them.

I addressed Jeff Carter and Tristan Jarry in a column that went semi-viral. It’s below.

By the way, what do you people do for fun after 6 p.m.?! The city was dead at 7 p.m. Absolutely, totally, depressingly, pathetically dead. Have ya tried leaving the house? I had most of the counter at Primanti’s to myself.

Pittsburgh Penguins / Steelers, Pirates (Sports Now Group)

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Jeff Carter. Scouts have noticed. Tristan Jarry. Options, as all hell is breaking loose for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It was a turbulent week. The Penguins Wrap.

Steelers Now: A last-second comeback spoiled the XFL coaching debut of Hines Ward.

Our boys think Julius Brent would be the perfect CB. Get the Steelers draft profile.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: The Pirates won their arbitration case, but Ji-Man Choi doesn’t hold a grudge.

PBN+: Luis Ortiz is setting up as an unlikely success story for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Anti-NHL Trade Day, News & National Hockey Now:

The NHL trade deadline is 12 days away. But no trade rumors today.

Boston Hockey Now: Unless a team comes up with a wow offer, Bruins GM Don Sweeney has made Jake DeBrusk and Jeremy Swayman off-limits. They will not be a part of any Bruins trade.

Montreal Hockey Now: It’s been a fun season to follow the Habs. The kids have asserted themselves, and the future looks bright for several youngsters along the blue line. Montreal Canadiens analysis.

Sportsnet: It’s highly unlikely, says Craig Button, but Toronto is believed to be one of a couple of teams to which Patrick Kane would accept a trade. Chicago faced Toronto (the Penguins were not one of the 15 teams that sent scouts), and Kane went off, scoring a hat trick in what could have been an audition for the blue and white.

NY Post: The Blueshirts made their second trade in two weeks. They fortified their bottom six by re-acquiring Tyler Motte for a song, not even a dance.

Yes, I can feel Penguins fans reading that and gritting their teeth. So, I’ll make it worse.

NHL rank among forwards in 5-on-5 points per 60:

Kapanen (T-119)
Heinen (T-177)
O'Connor (T-184)
Poehling (T-288)
Archibald (T-376)
McGinn (T-398)
Blueger (T-429)
Carter (T-433)…

— Bob Grove (@bobgrove91) February 18, 2023

Wild Card Race:

Detroit Hockey Now: After the Saturday loss, Detroit slipped to ninth (winning percentage) in the East. It would be an upset for Detroit to make the playoffs, but will underlying numbers be the undoing of the Detroit Red Wings?

Florida Hockey Now: The Panthers also lost Saturday and missed a golden chance to gain ground. Yet another playoff contender which is mad about being maddeningly inconsistent — the Florida Panthers.

NYI Hockey Now: The Islanders recalled one forward but provided no update on the health status of Mathew Barzal.

Washington Hockey Now: Things aren’t going so well for Washington. What’s GM Brian McClellan’s plan at the NHL trade deadline for the Washington Capitals?

ESPN: Jonathan Toews is stepping away from the Chicago Blackhawks to deal with long-haul COVID symptoms. It also sounds like he won’t be traded.

And, Columbus has a deal in place for Gavrikov, but…

#CBJ reportedly have a trade in place for Vladislav Gavrikov but it requires another transaction to happen first, per @Aportzline.

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) February 19, 2023