Dan’s Daily: Rewarding Sidney Crosby; Preds & Habs Look for Trade Partners

Many teams in the NHL hit their bye this week, while a few others will get the bye after the NHL All-Star Game in Toronto later this week. Dave Molinari looked at how to reward Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby instead of forcing him into a meaningless mid-season show. A Columbus Blue Jackets prospect popped off after being demoted. The Montreal Canadiens will be a big move and shaker on the NHL trade market. Our colleagues tried to line up the prices and the Habs’ best matches. What will the Ottawa Senators do with Vladimir Tarasenko? And the Nashville Predators phones will be busy.

The Penguins’ bye week is only two days old, and I’ve already been invited out to dinner twice, had drinks with friends, and saw a movie in a home theater. Is this how normal people live? I’ve quite missed having a social life; this year has been a grind like no other, but I might need a week off to recuperate from the bye week.

Also, I found Necco Wafers at Nicholas Coffee Shop in Market Square. I bought four packs yesterday afternoon. I have one left…

Pittsburgh Penguins

PHN+: Dave Molinari threw us a curveball. Why Sidney Crosby should not be an NHL All-Star.

You can also catch up on recent subscriber-only articles, such as our trip to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. I hear Jesse Puljujarvi is coming along, but we also got a good look at Penguins’ prospects Sam Poulin, Joel Blomqvist, and someone who really caught our eye, rugged defenseman Jack St. Ivany.

I don’t know how the Penguins view St. Ivany, but I know that I’d be watching closely.

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NHL Trade Chatter, News & National Hockey Now

We’re just going to put the NHL trade rumors up front every day. If we don’t, that’s like a bakery hiding the cupcakes.

Montreal Hockey Now: The Montreal Canadiens are the team that is unapologetically selling, yet they’re maintaining price integrity with their assets. I like Sean Monahan, but he’s not the only trade target with the Bleu, blanc et rouge. Our colleagues in Montreal have begun the task of matching up suitors and prices for the Canadiens’ trade pieces.

Nashville Hockey Now: The Predators are still in the playoff hunt, but GM Barry Trotz is reshaping and remaking the Predators’ roster. He fired a signal flare to his colleagues when he said he expected the Predators to be busy at the NHL trade deadline.

Ottawa Sun: This one slipped past me a few days ago, but stick tap to buddy Lyle Richardson (Spectors Hockey), who caught it. What will the Ottawa Senators do with winger Vladimir Tarasenko?

TSN: This is my favorite story, and oddly, I think the Columbus Blue Jackets loved that one of their top prospects blasted them for sending him back to the AHL. David Jiricek took dead aim at how he’s being used and his lack of real opportunity in the NHL. He didn’t hold back.

Philly Hockey Now: Bobby Brink was sent down (and I heard that St. Ivany crushed him last weekend), but his quickly improved play is sending a message to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Let’s keep close tabs on the Devils. It could be a race between the Penguins, Devils, and Islanders for third in the Metro Division (and the last Metro team in the playoffs?)

New Jersey Hockey Now: NHL trade rumors are picking up around Adam Henrique. They died down quickly last season, but this year seems to be different. Could there be a reunion between Henrique and the New Jersey Devils?

Goaltending has been the Achilles heel in Newark. Akira Schmid was thought to be a possible solution, but his time in the NHL quickly soured, and his most recent stint in the AHL is not going as the Devils hoped.