Dan’s Daily: Crosby Trade Talk Won’t Die; USA Blowout; Outside Views on Penguins
WILKES BARRE, Pa. — The Sidney Crosby trade talk won’t die. He has personally tried to kill it. On the recent two-week road trip, a Penguins team source pulled me aside to spare Crosby more questions on it. Yet, two days into the Four Nations Face-Off, the Crosby to Colorado trade talk is back. On Night 2 of the tournament, fans in Montreal booed the US Anthem, and the Tkachuk brothers were devastatingly good in leading Mike Sullivan’s Team USA to a 6-1 blowout win over Finland. There was a minor-league Penguins trade, and we did a roundtable discussion with the Metro Division beat writers of National Hockey Now to find out how the outside world views the Pittsburgh Penguins.
I adjusted my travel plans to get to Wilkes-Barre a day early because we’ve got a conversation set up for this morning that should greatly inform our prospect coverage. I’m unsure if I’ll cover both WBS games this weekend or just tonight’s game and then head home–I suppose that depends on how satisfied I am with the combination of Tuesday-Friday games. Specifically, I want to see more of Rutger McGroarty. I’ll have more on Ville Koivunen and maybe Tristan Broz, too.
However, I’m still hesitant to grade or analyze Broz because he missed so much time due to illness and is just coming back. If he pops, I’ll tell you about it, and if he doesn’t, he gets a pass. Sadly, the team sent Sergei Murashov back to Wheeling yesterday. I had really hoped to see him play an AHL game. Really, really, hoped.
It would appear Tristan Jarry is in the way. Or Filip Larsson is in the way. The organization may have to sacrifice Larsson unless they think he could be an NHL goalie (I haven’t seen enough to make that judgment. My only viewing was in December–he made a lot of second-chance saves, but only because I didn’t feel like he was absorbing shots or directing the rebounds well).
However, I changed hotels in Wilkes-Barre. After a bad experience last time, I abandoned my Motel 6 for a Days Inn with an IHop next door. I am craving some eggs and bacon (by the time I got home from the roadie, my eggs had expired, and I didn’t go shopping over the last few days. Of course, I’m only a sports writer; I can’t afford eggs anyway).
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: I have to poke at a beauty of a tweet from one of the rumor purveyors who long ago lost the buzz, “I was told the Blues just made a trade that’s going to set up another. Maybe Brayden Schenn.” Yeah, no. It was a minor-league swap with no NHL impact. Here are the details of the minor Penguins trade.
TSN Overdrive (Video): Boys, stop. Stawwwpp. Here’s the topic–Could Crosby follow Shanahan’s lead after the 1996 World Cup of Hockey? The boys can’t help themselves, so they go right into the Crosby to Colorado trade talk based on Brendan Shanahan leaving Hartford.
Let’s flip the script. Why doesn’t MacKinnon come to Pittsburgh to rebuild the franchise? He could take Crosby’s legacy and keep it going. He’s already won a Stanley Cup in Colorado. The Penguins have the cap space to build around MacKinnon immediately. MacKinnon wasn’t happy when they traded Mikko Rantanen. Why not, right? Stop it.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The round table was fun. Who will win the Metro playoff bracket? And another question delivered some insights into how the outsiders view the aging Penguins roster.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
Pro Hockey Rumors: Emily Kaplan said on the recent national broadcast that the Bruins are getting calls on numerous players, but she doesn’t expect Brad Marchand to be traded. The Bruins are coming to the fork in the road.
Sportsnet: I can’t think of players who better fit Sullivan’s system than the Tkachuk brothers. They are perfect grinders with tons of skill to play low or on the rush. Here are the highlights of Team USA’s 6-1 win over Finland.
Detroit Hockey Now: The trade rumors are good news in Detroit. Vladimir Tarasenko has not fit in Motown, and Kevin Allen writes that if other teams, such as the Florida Panthers, are interested, that’s fine and dandy. A trade would benefit the Detroit Red Wings.
Philly Hockey Now: You can enjoy this read: Three reasons for pessimism for the rest of the Philadelphia Flyers season.
Vegas Hockey Now: Playoffs and trades. Trades and playoffs. It’s been like a roller coaster around the Stratosphere for the VGK this season. Hannah Kirkell predicts the rest of the wildly inconsistent but very good Vegas Golden Knights season.
Ottawa Hockey Now: And lastly, our Danny McCloskey puts the Ottawa Senators under the microscope. The team looks ready to break that playoff drought finally. So here are three forwards to target on the trade block.
Categorized:Links NHL Trade Rumors Penguins
The “Colorado Hockey Now” writer is one of the jagaloons fanning the Crosby talk…..
<sarcasm> And if MacKinnon comes, we can swap Karlsson for Makar. </sarcasm>
He’s just saying in would be nice to see the both of them together…..how many times have the Pens fans said it would be nice to see Fluery back in Pa.
No fanning just wishful thinking. Calm down
On a serious note….. With Shea Theodore’s injury keeping him out week to week, would Matt Grzelcyk be someone Vegas look at? He could quarterback the power play and after a rough start played defense at a reasonable level. Obviously a player would have to come back to make the cap numbers work, but what else would Vegas give up? Dubas signed players to 1 year deals for these situations. It’s time to take advantage of the unfortunate situation Vegas is in and maximize the return.
Rangers 1st rounder, Koivunen, Larsson and the Blues 2nd rounder next year for McKinnon. My friend’s dad’s buddy has a cousin and that cousin’s best friend’s wife has a brother and the brother’s wife works for Colorado. Trade is coming by end of 4 nations. Bet dat.
That is not getting it done. We would have to give up better prospects and a NHL player or two.
That is not getting it done. They would want a couple NHL players back
Nice work, Dan! Ugh, Crosby trade rumors again. Okay, for the sake of argument, let’s say Colorado is interested. Looking at their roster, there aren’t many players that would really catch my attention. The deal would have to start with Necas, but beyond that, I’m not sure which other roster players would be worth considering—at least a first-round pick, plus prospects like Ritchie and maybe Behrens. Honestly, that doesn’t exactly blow me away. The Avs don’t seem to be dealing from a position of strength, and the Pens have much more to lose in that trade. They could likely get… Read more »
Whether people like it or not, the Tkachuk boys should be the face of US hockey. They both play a rough, gritty game but can score with the best of them. Also classic trash Canadians booing the anthem and US players. Hopefully the US sticks it to Canada tomorrow night and wins the whole tournament as well.
1993 and counting. Heh.
NO to MacKinnon to the Pens! That would suck to have him in the East. The Wings already have Crosby, Matthews, Marner, Kutcherov, The Tkachuks, Ovechkin, Hughes, etc ,etc to deal with. Crosby to the AV’s makes sense, but if it were even possible, then Rantanen would probably be a Penguin now instead of a Cane. Crosby has this tournament, then the Olympics coming up. Maybe after the Olympics He’d consider a Bourque-like move. Meanwhile He’s got the greatest challenge of his career trying to get these Pens into the playoffs.
I think you missed the joke. Also, why would it suck to have Nathan MacKinnon on your team?!
Because he is not a Pens fan. He referenced the Wings having to face them.
silly talk,Crosby will retire as a penguin.