Dan’s Daily: Penguins Nosedive; What We’ve Learned; the HHoF Speeches

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in trouble. They followed up their mold-breaking win with a character flaw-reinforcing loss. This team is never boring, but they sure could bother to show up for more games, as they no-showed against the Dallas Stars in a 7-1 loss at PPG Paints Arena Monday. Oh, we’ve got full coverage and analysis of that unprofessional performance. Also in the Daily, the Hockey Hall of Fame speeches, what we’ve learned from the 2025 NHL season, and Matvei Michkov returned from the press box with fireballs from his eyes and lightning bolts from his arse.

I’m happy to say that we finally have the podcast on multiple platforms, and I’m going to do an audio pod at least once a week. Last night after the game, I turned the lights off like I used to in my old music radio days and did the show with just the light from the street lamps and the neighbor’s porch lights. Unfortunately, I did one great podcast on the Penguins’ biggest problem and the goaltending situation, only to realize that I didn’t click a button to add the audio to the recording, so it was 19 minutes of nothing. The second time around, it wasn’t nearly as sharp, but it was also 2 a.m., and I was fading. So, subscribe for auto downloads and all that jazz on your favorite platform, and I’ll put the Live Chats there, as well as commentary with locker room audio contained in the show. I promise the next ones will be brilliant! We had a good one planned for today, but last night pretty much ruined any positive talk for a bit.

Here is the RSS feed for the return of No Pucks Given: https://feeds.simplecast.com/E8RbI8QC. I can’t figure out how to add a category on Apple, so it’s still unpublished there, but it’s also on Amazon. I’ll get Apple solved today.

Or should I call it Press Box Nachos?

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Want the gory details? Sure you do. Wanna know who scored and all of the “not safe for all members of the family” details? Here you go, the recap of the Penguins’ loss.

We skipped the report card and went straight to the column. It became Part II of my blistering column from Dec. 16, 2023, after the Penguins embarrassed themselves by laying down in a 7-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Penguins deserved no less blistering this time, but one year later, the core problem has not been solved. Here’s the sitch as best I can deliver it on the Penguins’ problem.

PHN Video: From the ice level, this one seems to be getting 100% agreement. I didn’t spare the rod or spoil the child (can you believe that was a saying?!), but here is the five-minute Penguins postgame.

The podcasts will also be on YouTube. If you have a preferred platform, let me know, and I’ll make sure it is there.

NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: It’s been a barnburner sort of start to the NHL season. The Winnipeg Jets are a wagon. The Penguins are not. And everything in between. Here’s what we’ve learned so far from the NHL season.

Philly Hockey Now: Diminutive Matvei Michkov is Philly’s own. The young Russian forward tanked his draft interviews to go to the Flyers (Jaromir Jagr-style), but he’s had a moment or three of adjustment. He returned to the lineup and drew praise from teammates for a dominating performance Monday against the Sharks. Here’s the Philadelphia Flyers inside scoop.

I don’t think anything else really matters today except the Hall of Fame speeches. The inductions were overshadowed by the game last night, but there was a Penguins connection, as Chrissy Wendell (scout) was inducted. Here are all of the induction speeches (in individual files), beginning with Jeremy Roenick.