Dan’s Daily Links: Metro Playoff Watch, Caps Fans Worried About Pens

So the Daily Links column is about to switch from trade rumors and stories to the Pittsburgh Penguins playoff watch. We’ll be focusing on actual hockey results and stories. The Penguins are only part of the equation right now, which makes this season unique. Of course, a few more Penguins wins and a few more Columbus flatline performances like yesterday and the playoff race could become old news. But that’s unlikely, no matter how much Penguins fans wish it.

The Carolina Bunch of Jerks have won five in a row and have used ol’ Grapes as fuel. (Canes Country)

You know what happened with the Penguins and Montreal Canadiens, Saturday. Check out the PHN Extra Report Card and Analysis. For just $2.99 a month or $27.99 a year, you can get the deepest, most consistent analysis, exclusive feature stories and an ad-free view of all PHN stories (PHN Extra)

The Columbus Blue Jackets are having trouble gelling. The Penguins shut them down, then…then…the Edmonton Oilers did so (Columbus Dispatch)

Mike Harrington–respected columnist in Buffalo–writes Saturday was the end for the Sabres (Buffalo News)

The Capitals are battling for first place, but their crowd is getting worried about the Penguins. (Russian Machine Never Breaks, RMB)

Ok, that last one should make you feel good, Pens fans. Even after a Stanley Cup win, fountain swimming, and the first DC parade in decades in which half the town didn’t lose their job, the Capitals fans are still peeking at the Penguins.

Toronto fans are also getting a bit squirrely. (Sportsnet)

Also from Sportsnet–I know a lot of you are big wrestling fans (my fandom officially ended with the passing of Rowdy Roddy, as immortalized in the Pittsburgh Sports Live studios)–this is a great read about Cauliflower Alley, an annual meeting of retired wrestlers (Sportsnet)

The New York Islanders won’t be going away. No, they’re not as good as other teams in the Metro, but they’re perhaps the best “team”. This is a Barry Trotz special. Just engrave his name on the Jack Adams award. The Islanders had an emotional week, for sure (Lighthouse Hockey)