Dan’s Daily: Huge TV Ratings; More Canucks Angst; Penguins Future

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ future is accelerating their future. That sentence should make absolutely no sense until you realize the current crop of Penguins prospects have a unique advantage that prior prospects did not. With some insider nuggets, our prospects analysis was particularly illuminating this weekend. Elsewhere in the Daily, Larry Brooks churned the NHL trade rumors with a big-time proposal and criticism of Alex Lafreniere. There’s angst in Vancouver after the org dished a contract to Marcus Pettersson but not Brock Boeser. And the Four Nations Face-Off drew massive TV numbers Saturday night.

I’d like to thank the good people in Wilkes-Barre for a nice few days. Since parking is free at Mohegan Arena, I switched hotels to the equally affordable Days Inn for a few days. The team will treat you well, and the arena people are just so darned friendly. It feels like you’re in the mid-west.

It does shock me that many of the players there know my name, and a few actually wanted to talk. I think I got an eye and earful and have a better understanding of the Penguins’ organization and the players’ potential. I also understand more about inner machinations than ever. Sunday’s piece was harsh, real, and optimistic all at once. I also think I wrote some of my best pieces this season on Saturday and Sunday. Thank you to the couple dozen people who subscribed last week! I splurged and went to Outback Steakhouse for a pregame dinner on Valentine’s Day. Perhaps splurge isn’t the right word there, but you don’t go to Wilkes-Barre for the food.

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: If you missed last week, we got you covered. No, she doesn’t rhyme or diss Drake, but you can read Shelly Anderson’s weekly Penguins wrap.

PHN+: Off the record conversations, background chats, and scouting three pivotal games gave us a pretty good idea of what’s going on with the Penguins prospects. One prospect jumped the tracks this week and behaved poorly on the ice. Another is becoming the center of the group and, in my estimation, the future captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but there’s a backstory there, too. Check out the 3 Penguins Thoughts with in-depth Penguins prospects analysis.

PHN+: Since it was Saturday, I did an exhaustive write-up with some help from the organization about exactly what you can expect–and it might be different from everyone’s expectations–from the Penguins’ top prospect Rutger McGroarty.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

NY Post: Lafreniere for Trevor Zegras? Larry Brooks ripped Lafreniere’s attitude in recent performances and writes maybe it’s time to swap underachiever for underachiever.

NOT TRUE–One of those big Instagram accounts did a viral meme this weekend reporting that I reported Erik Karlsson trade talks. That’s nice, except I didn’t report that. I simply noted the rising cap would make it easier if the two sides agreed a trade is best. When you see that stuff, send it to me so I can disabuse the audience.

Donnie & Dali: Some felt the Canucks’ contract for Marcus Pettersson was a slap in the face to Brock Boeser. The player wants to stay, but the team doesn’t like the price. Here’s the latest and what could go down with Boeser.

With Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, and Brock Boeser available this summer, the Penguins’ current arc might be missing their best window to add the top-six players.

Philly Hockey Now: Like many others, Will James is enamored with the Four Nations tournament. Yeah, a lot of us are eating crow. James writes this is better than any All-Star Game could ever be.

Check out these ratings:

ESPN TV ratings