Dan’s Daily: Blue Jackets Eat Crow; Sidney Crosby Holds Court

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby held court after delivering season tickets to a lucky fan on Monday. His answers weren’t inflammatory, but he raised the bar for the coming season. The Columbus Blue Jackets wore a bib and ate crow with both hands Monday over the hiring of Mike Babcock. Despite saying he had no ill intent, Blue Jackets management quickly called his hiring a mistake. Also in the Daily, the Penguins organization named most of their new TV and radio broadcast teams, with one omission. Connor Bedard owned the rookie showcase in Chicago. Try it and find out; Ryan Reaves said there won’t be any more taunting or disrespecting his new Maple Leafs teammates, and the NHL trade deadline will be March 8.

And wow, the Steelers’ offense reached a new level of sloppy. Or just bad. It was like a Marx Brothers movie, without the punchlines. It was a middle school trying to do Shakespeare without rehearsals. It was me on a golf course.

And yet, the city of Pittsburgh can breathe easier because the Steelers won. Like so many things, at least Cleveland was worse.

PHN has decided to try to be at all 82 games this year (there’s still a Minnesota-Winnipeg back-to-back to figure out because there aren’t reliable flights to get to the Winnipeg game before faceoff). So, I could use your support. Subscriptions keep us and the Steelers coverage on the road, and we need a few more. Use code Dan10 to get $10 off a PHN/Steelers Now/Pittsburgh Baseball Now subscription: click here.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: See the video, too — Sidney Crosby delivered some season tickets and held court with a few media members (PHN included) on Monday. He raised the bar on the coming Penguins season.

Steve Mears will move to radio. The Fenway Sports Group and Pittsburgh Sportsnet finalized their Penguins TV and radio broadcast crews.

And some free coverage from Buffalo and the Prospects Challenge. One thing became clear on Saturday. Heads up — Sam Poulin is ready.

Steelers Now:

It was a win, but it was also theft. The Kenny Pickett problem and put JPJ in the starting lineup — the full Steelers takeaways.

One player who brought a lunch pail and was a deciding factor was the supercharged Alex Highsmith.

Browns RB Nick Chubb’s career could be over after a gruesome knee injury Monday. The Steelers defended the hit that took out Nick Chubb.

And … I’m not sure this was earned, but the Steelers’ social media account trolled the Cleveland Browns.

I hated the Browns’ white helmets. You’re the Browns. You wear orange lids. Teams will continue to sucker you into merchandise until you say no …

Pittsburgh Baseball Now:

Altoona ended its season in dramatic fashion. Get the latest Pirates prospects watch.

Miguel Andujar is also making the most of his latest shot in the bigs with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

NHL News & National Hockey Now:

Chicago Hockey Now: Connor Bedard is the real deal. He’s more McDavid than Crosby and dominated the Chicago Blackhawks prospects challenge games.

Sportsnet: The Canadian outlet has the video highlights of Blue Jackets president John Davidson falling on the sword — figuratively, of course — after hiring Mike Babcock. Buried in the presser admitting fault was the belief Babcock had no ill intent. It’s just a weird situation, and here’s the story after the CBJ canned and apologized for hiring Mike Babcock.

Canadian outlets are asking if Babcock is done in the NHL. Yet, at the same time, there were columns linking him to at least one more NHL gig this season. Let me stop you right there. We all have a time. If we want to extend “our time,” we must adapt, grow, and change with the new time. Babcock’s type of coaching and control do not fit this time. The stories are too many. The resentments from past players are too great. Let it go.

Boston Hockey Now: Brad Marchand may bear the torch of the concluding Boston Bruins era. Will he be the new Bruins captain?

Philly Hockey Now: The KHL is not treating Matvei Michkov well. Gee, do you think they’re sending a message that you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave? Michkov said he is frustrated, but driven. Here’s the scoop on the top Flyers’ prospect.

No joke, if I were in Keith Jones’s position, the next time Michkov leaves Russia with the team, I’d have a small group of people waiting at the airport to whisk him away and bring him to Philadelphia. And when Russia complains, I’d hold up a picture of Ivan Fedotov, the goalie prospect Russia is essentially holding captive in the KHL.

TSN: The last great enforcer. Ryan Reaves said he won’t allow more taunting of his Maple Leafs teammates and will speak up in the locker room, too.