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Dan’s Daily: Lundqvist Retires, Bettman Defends Lack of Tom Wilson Suspensions

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Pittsburgh Penguins, Tom Wilson, Washington Capitals suspended

Some situations are just untenable. For all of the want-to and all of the “should,” sometimes reality is more powerful than all sentiment. The Arizona Coyotes face a pivotal moment as Glendale terminated their lease on Thursday. The Buffalo Sabres couldn’t pry top overall pick Owen Power out of college, Gary Bettman defended the lack of Tom Wilson suspensions, and we collided head-on with Pittsburgh Penguins questions about putting Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang on the NHL trade market and queries about Jason Zucker’s lineup value.



And Twitter star Joey BagovDonuts extended a generous invite to PHN for Weezer, Fallout Boy, and Green Day at PNC Park. I thank him for the chance to finally see one of my three favorite bands of all time. Green Day didn’t disappoint and had a theme: We’re still here, so let’s celebrate that.

It is so much easier to hold up a cell phone than a Bic lighter. Concert goers in the 1980s were total badasses.

 

To hockey…

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The semi-formal, semi-insane PHN Q&A. Could the Pittsburgh Penguins trade Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, or Bryan Rust? Is it time to make a case for Jason Zucker, and are the Penguins done adding?

It is a big fight weekend, Manny Pacquiao will throw mitts and FanDuel is giving PHN readers 30-1 odds.

NHL News & National Hockey Now:

Sportsnet: This is the end? (Their) only friend, the end? The Arizona Coyotes were essentially booted out of the Glendale arena. The team owes the city nearly $1.5 million, and the city’s statements left little wiggle room as they terminated the Coyote’s lease, effective next summer. Uh oh. 

WFAN: Gary Bettman was on WFAN shortly after the announcement. He said the city was negotiating, and “I’m not worried.”

Bettman also downplayed the allegations against Evander Kane.

Washington Hockey Now: Bettman also defended his Department of Player Safety and George Parros’ handling of the gong shows between the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals, which began with “Mr. Wonderful” Tom Wilson’s pile drivers on Rangers star players, and ended with a Slapshot-style brawl two nights later. 

Bettman is as shrewd as they come. He’s deftly navigated previous relocation issues, including the Pittsburgh Penguins dance with Kansas City. There’s no doubt he will be able to handle the Coyotes and Kane effectively. But the Tom Wilson stuff…in fairness to Wilson, it was more of a Pedigree finisher than a piledriver that merited a lengthy suspension.

Vancouver Hockey Now: The IIHF Women’s World Championships begin today in Calgary, and Team Canada has to break Team USA’s death grip on gold.

Yahoo!: EA Sports put Auston Matthews on the cover of NHL22. It’s the second time in three years they’ve put him on the box. 

Buffalo News: Lance Lysowski broke the news–first-overall pick Owen Power will return to Michigan for his sophomore season and not join the Buffalo Sabres this year. 

Good grief.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues are kicking tires on Zdeno Chara, but he wants to stay on the east coast, closer to his family in Boston. 

Boston: However, sources told Boston Hockey Now that it is “highly unlikely” Chara plays for Boston again. 

Detroit: The Red Wings cleared cap space and roster space by buying out Frans Nielson, who never lived up to his contract. 

Colorado: The Avs Fan Confidence Index is wavering without a good middle-six winger. 

San Jose: Who will be the surprise player of the San Jose Sharks development camp? And who is a top-three-round talent but “not a smart player at all.”

UPDATE: Henrik Lundqvist has called it a career.