Dan’s Daily: Correcting Trade Rumors; Emerging 2025 1st Pick

Perhaps Pittsburgh Penguins fans should keep an eye on the high lottery picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. There is an emerging player who could be the No. 1 overall pick, and he’s American. Some of the recent NHL trade rumors surrounding Martin Necas were shot down. Sportsnet tried to define a No. 1 goalie and listed the nine who qualify, sans Tristan Jarry. Pittsburgh Hockey Now laid out the top Pittsburgh-born NHL players, including a couple who played for the Penguins and tried to make a lineup.

It’s always a little bit horrifying to see myself quoted in other places. The quote going around on Instagram and Facebook was from my conversation with Paul Zeise on 93-7 the Fan Friday morning. If you saw it, yes, it’s true, but the next sentence was important for context.

“After signing Sergei Murashov, it’s only a matter of time before the Penguins trade a goalie,” was my quote. However, in the next breaths, I opined that it might be at mid-season, the trade deadline, or next summer. Perhaps I should probably save the rest of my thoughts for a column.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: What started as a little fun story turned into a complete look at Pittsburghers in the NHL. I didn’t recall that–until Logan Cooley in 2022–all of the top local players were concentrated in one draft. So, here’s what a lineup would look like if we built up the best Pittsburgh-born players in the NHL.

TSN: The boys up north did a little video hit with Brayden Yager at the Team Canada showcase. They asked about his emotions when signing his entry-level contract and how (little) he celebrated.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: The Pirates also acquired some minor league talent at the MLB trade deadline. And those guys lit up the scoreboard with a big night in Indy. Here’s the latest on the Pirates prospects.

The Buccos beat Arizona 4-2, including a 68-minute rain delay that ended starter Mitch Keller’s night. Jalen Beeks was sharp out of the pen, but Andrew McCutchen left the game with an injury. Here’s the Cutch update and the Pittsburgh Pirates takeaways.

Steelers Now: Oh, this could be interesting. After a rough day or two at St. Vincent, QB2 Justin Fields lit it up in practice. Here are the takeaways from the Steelers training camp.

NHL Trade Talk, News, and National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: No. 1 goalies. What makes one, and who are they? The list now clearly does not include the Penguins’ starter, but these are the nine guys who command their net and earn the title of No. 1 goalie.

Scott Billeck/Winnipeg Sun: The Sun’s beat writer covering the Winnipeg Jets used X to tamp down the report or rumor that Winnipeg offered Cole Perfetti as part of a trade package for Martin Necas. Nope, no way, tweeted Billeck.

TSN: Perhaps this is the kid many of you will be hoping for next June. I have my doubts about whether the Penguins improved this summer or, if they did, others improved more. James Hagens from Team USA might be the first overall pick, so here’s more about him.

Washington Hockey Now: We’re enjoying the work of newbie Nathan Moser, who graduated from the ranks of Hockey Writers, to join us. The heart of the stealth Capitals youth movement is Connor McMichael, who has a crucial year upcoming for the Washington Capitals.

Florida Hocke Now: Take a guess who became the most important UFA signing for the Stanley Cup champions. Go ahead, take a wild guess. Yep, the free agent who had the biggest impact on the march toward Lord Stanley’s house of immortality was none other than Evan Rodrigues.

Colorado Hockey Now(+): This is available to PHN+ subscribers. Just log in at Colorado Hockey Now using your PHN credentials. The film room is quite interesting. One of the potential offseason targets I circled for the Penguins was defenseman Erik Brannstrom. He signed for under $1 million and is a reclamation project with tons of talent. Here’s what he needs to fix for the Colorado Avalanche.

Our man in Denver, Evan Rawal, played in juniors, and he knows his hockey.

That’s all we’ve got for today. Perhaps I’ll see you on the twisties.