Dan’s Daily: Ovechkin Closing Fast; Pettersson & NHL Trade Chatter
The pitter-patter of the NHL trade chatter has become more than a smattering as the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for a center, and Marcus Pettersson’s name comes up often as interest grows in the latter. We laid out the pain that the Pittsburgh Penguins are about to go through because the worst is yet to come, and it’s going to take time. Alex Ovechkin filled the net in the last two nights but left the game Tuesday with an injury. He’s closing fast on Wasyne Gretzky. And the Boston Bruins fans booed the boys out of the building after the Bruins got crushed by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
I’m not sure I know what tact to use in covering the Penguins at this point. Management’s words and deeds do not line up. The team’s hopes are being dashed more and more every day. And it’s creating the very abyss that general manager Kyle Dubas said he was going to avoid because it takes years to escape.
My podcast, No Pucks Given, is growing quickly in downloads and followers. I guess I’ve decided to keep the name for now and not call it Press Box Nahcos. I record at such variable and sometimes spontaneous times that getting guests is difficult, but I want to move in that direction, too. We’re on Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, and Apple.
We’re also launching the Spare Parts Podcast Network. So, sports podcasters definitely hit us up!
After all, we’re just spare parts, aren’t we?
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The hardest part of the Penguins rebuild–and make no mistake, that’s what it is becoming–is still to come. And it could take quite a while to even get to rock bottom. Yep. The hardest part awaits the Penguins.
Owen Pickering is a refreshingly honest talker. I hope age doesn’t spoil that, as he’s around more. He gave an honest assessment of his game. We also asked Sidney Crosby about the kids in the lineup and his role. It’s in the Penguins’ notebook.
Vasily Ponomarev still has a bit of a language barrier. I’m not sure he understands the questions yet. But if he plays well, I suspect you won’t care if he talks to the media.
NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now
Sportsnet: Marcus Pettersson and the NHL trade block. His name is out there, and it’s getting louder–though not everyone is enthusiastic. There are certainly teams interested in the lanky defenseman.
One of those who are not very enthusiastic people is a beat reporter in Vancouver, one of the spots rumored to be interested in Pettersson. Patrick Johnston writes, no on Pettersson, the Canucks should aim higher.
ESPN: Alex Ovechkin has been filling the net. He’s scored five goals in the last two games to close within 27 goals of Gretzky, but he also left the game with an injury last night. Ovechkin and Crosby are still in the headlines 20 years later—what a ride—but here’s the latest on the Great 8.
Philly Hockey Now: Beaten by “stupid stuff.” It was a good start, but things didn’t end well. A referee was taken off on a stretcher, and the Colorado Avalanche took it to the Philadelphia Flyers. And here is an update on the ref taken off the ice.
New Jersey Hockey Now: Oh, James Nichols, no. No, no, no. There is a former Penguins forward on waivers that James thinks could help the lack of depth in New Jersey. He makes a good case, but Penguins fans might put up the stop sign, too. Here’s whom the New Jersey Devils should target.
Boston Hockey Now: The boo birds became a mob by the end of the game. The team is struggling, and the fans let them have it after Columbus boat raced them on home ice. Yeah, the latest Bruins takeaways.
Intensity is building as general manager Don Sweeney is working the phones hard and looking for a shakeup in the form of a Bruins trade. The negative is only getting worse as a coveted free-agent center admitted he’s stunk for the Bruins. Elias Lindholm was brutally honest.
Huge game for the Penguins Tuesday. They believe, or at least they want to believe, that they can turn things around. They have to start winning games, and one against a really good team would help. Of course, if they get skated out of the barn, they’re toast.
Categorized:Links NHL Trade Rumors Penguins
Ovie suffered a LBI in a collision against the Hockey Club in Utah last night. Hobbled to the bench and never came back. No word on the extent of the injury, but it didn’t look good . . .
Kasperi Kapanen has hit the waiver wire. Would a third time be the charm. NOT! The trade to reacquire KK was one of the trades by GMJR that started the trip down the slippery slope.
What a miracle it was when he got picked up off of waivers? Perhaps something like that could happen again… hint hint.
Edmonton put in a claim for him, but since the Pens finished lower, they could still get him…..
Time to check the Bruins site and see how their fanbase feels about the Swayman contract. I’ll admit I don’t watch games the Pens aren’t in due to other commitments so I don’t know if Swayman might be playing well, but getting hung out to dry like the Penguins goalies.
Their defense has been pretty bad, but probably not as abysmal as the Penguins defense. Swayman definitely has not played up to his contract (seems to be a common trend that when goalies get paid, they drop off heavily)
Maybe they need #24 back. If they have a bucket of pucks we have a deal.
Hey Dan, I looked for you over on BlueSky. 20 million (including this fan) have left X for BlueSky. I’d love to see you over there.
Ha ha
Dan, would it be worth looking a Trevor Zegras? Do you think playing with/being around Sid/Geno would rejuvenate his career? And what would it take to get him? DOC and Graves??
I read somewhere that the ducks were happy with his progress but that could just be gm/coach speak. I’d absolutely have some talks with them and gauge their interest in moving him. No clue what a trade proposal would like but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t include DOC or Graves though
We would have to give up our top prospects only. I don’t see any other way we would get him.
Dan- pretty simple on how to report on the pens and Dubas. If he says one thing and does another thing ask him why he did it? If he says he is not going to trade a certain player and does I am sure there was an offer he couldn’t pass up. BUT if the offer isn’t great then ask him why only the min return if you weren’t looking to move that player.
Or ask him why not rebuild since it’s obvious the players aren’t good enough and have a shown they haven’t played well together.