Dan’s Daily: Rebounding Penguins, Matt Murray Mysterious Injury

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a few players needing rebound seasons, including one who can’t afford another step backward. The Toronto Maple Leafs will limbo under the salary cap limit in October when they place goaltender Matt Murray on LTIR, though the team declined to cite Murray’s injury. The Carolina Hurricanes splashed major cash on top center Sebastian Aho, and retiring Boston Bruins center Patric Bergeron anointed the next Bruins leader.

Thanks for following along on my latest road trip. I arrived home Wednesday afternoon, almost exactly 48 hours after leaving for the Smoky Mountains. I traversed just over 1200 miles … and my backside feels like I pledged the Omega house under Douglas C. Neidermeyer.

I can say with certainty that Bo Jangles chicken sandwiches are greater than Popeyes or Chic-fil-A, and there is nothing at Hardee’s under eight billion calories. I had to stop at a Hardees when I found the only rain cloud in the United States somewhere outside Knoxville. That’s my luck.

To the hockey…

Pittsburgh Penguins:

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The three players most in need of a strong season. One needs to live up to a new contract, one needs to return to form that earned a new contract, and one needs to cement his place in the NHL. The Penguins’ analysis.

SteelersNow.com

Training camp begins, but it appears the flashy entrances are over for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

First-round pick Broderick Jones won’t start camp with the first-team Steelers offense.

Could it become another Le’Veon Bell situation? Najee Harris tried to shrug it off.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now:

John Perrotto lays out the Pirates’ trade scenarios.

Derek Shelton and Angel Perdomo were suspended for the bean ball on Tuesday. Get the full Pirates news.

Good for the Pirates. If a guy celebrates a home run like that, you plunk him or the next guy. That’s old-school baseball, and I’m here for it.

NHL News & National Hockey Now:

Carolina Hockey Now: We picked a good time to launch Carolina. They’re making news this week. First, they signed Tony DeAngelo. Now they dished a whopper of a contract to Sebastian Aho.

Sportsnet: I think everyone is looking at this one with a little side-eye. Despite being cleared from his concussion in May and able to play in the playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs will get under the cap by placing goalie Matt Murray on LTIR indefinitely. The latest from Toronto.

I think the NHL had better get ahead of this one, and details should be made public, or it will be another stain on LTIR and the league.

Boston Hockey Now: Patrice Bergeron has anointed Penguins coach Mike Sullivan’s future son-in-law Charlie McAvoy as the next leader of the Boston Bruins.

In case you missed it, Jimmy Murphy had Stanley Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy on his latest podcast. A good get for Murph and Cassidy delivered the goods, too. Listen to Murphy’s Law here.

GoPhnx: Pittsburgh native and soon-to-be hockey star Logan Cooley was set to return to the University of Minnesota for one more season before turning pro with the Arizona Coyotes next year. However, it appears the Coyotes are now making a late run to flip Cooley. Craig Morgan has the scoop.

Montreal Hockey Now: Marc Dumont tells Habs fans to stop trying to trade Jordan Harris and digs into Kirby Dach vs. Nick Suzuki. Montreal Canadiens mailbag.

Philly Hockey Now: They will be better?? Chuck Bausman rejects the complete doom and gloom around the coming Philadelphia Flyers season.