Dan’s Daily: Avs Blockbuster Rumor; Penguins Goalie Jam; Puck Thief Responds

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ off-day was filled with fan outrage and condemnation for the worst fan actions since that jackwagon intercepted a puck coach Dan Bylsma threw toward a little kid eight years ago. It happened again Sunday, and the funny thing is that it is highly likely the jerk who swiped the puck from the kid Sunday spent the day in our comments section attacking the kid and other fans with nothing short of ridiculous rationalizations. Moving the conversation back to the team, we went “there.” It’s time for the Penguins to fix their goaltending, and they have real options.

Elsewhere, the NHL trade rumors got a jolt when the Toronto Maple Leafs essentially announced their trade intentions, and they’re looking for a center. Renaud Lavoie reports the Colorado Avalanche will trade star winger Mikko Rantanen if they can’t sign him in the next few weeks. And the Ottawa Senators’ new arena deal near downtown might be hitting a wall or a stubborn government-created corporation completely intoxicated with its own power.

All 82, baby! We’re going to be at all 82, and the toughest, most expensive stretch is right ahead. The back-to-back in Buffalo and Washington, followed by 10 days out west, is going to sting, but we’ll have plenty of exclusive coverage and content. Join PHN+ now and get a nice discount when you use code Dan10. You’ll get exclusive content and an ad-free experience on all stories. Join here.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The full-fledged viral story. No one else had all of the details on the puck swipe seen around the world as a belligerent and entitled old man took a puck that a young fan dislodged from the netting. Dozens of fans sent PHN videos and recounted the scene. HOWEVER, if you roll through the comments, it’s pretty clear that a man named Tom was that entitled jerk, and his comments on our page are just the most incredible leaps of self-serving logic, exaggerations, and justifications. So, here’s our exclusive report with some video, first-hand accounts from arena employees, and inside info on the swiped puck from a young Penguins fan.

And yes, PHN readers got to tee off. I may have relaxed the PG-13 rule. You wonder what kind of people do this crap, and then you get to see them up close. They’re just stunningly self-serving ways to think. Clearly, his family joined the fray as they repeated talking points (one of which is demonstrably false). The world got this one right.

On the ice, the Penguins have a problem and a solution in waiting. It’s just a matter of how they enact it. It’s time for the Penguins organization to shake up their goalie room. It’s time to bring up Joel Blomqvist.

If you jumped to the No Pucks Given podcast yesterday, you heard a ticking in the show. If you downloaded it and couldn’t listen for more than a few minutes, I apologize. I found the source! It’s in the editing software, and that’s a metronome set to default (why?!). So, I fixed and re-uploaded the podcast. Francis Anzalone and I had a pretty good conversation on the Penguins, the goalies, and the internal reaction to struggling goalies. Check out the Re-Do of No Pucks Given Ep14. Pens Fate Looms.

NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now

Kyper and Bourne Radio: Let’s start with the bombshell trade talk with Renaud Lavoie of RVA. He reports that the Colorado Avalanche will trade Mikko Rantanen if he remains unsigned by the Four Nations Face-Off. Here’s the video cued to the trade rumors section, but it’s a really good show all around if you’ve got some time.

TSN: The general manager said it without specifically saying it. Tom is a jerk. Also, the Toronto Maple Leafs are on the market for a center, er, a centre.

No, Brad Treliving didn’t say that about  Tom. I joke.

Sportsnet: And this is what happens, Larry. This is what happens when Parliament creates a corporation to oversee the land around the nation’s capital. The Ottawa Senators’ agreement to build a new downtown arena on land that has been unused for 20 years and needs chemical remediation might hit a wall with unelected fools who care more about their authority and exerting their power than the public good. Here’s the story.

It’s similar to the Islanders debacle, which took more than a decade and resulted in a far-from-perfect solution.

Philly Hockey Now: Our new William James, who recently graduated from Penn State, is getting settled into the job. He’s got coverage of a heck of a game. It was ANOTHER third period comeback win, this time over the Florida Panthers, for the Philadelphia Flyers.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Say what?! The Philadelphia Flyers are building a new arena, and the New Jersey Devils owner is helping.

Detroit Hockey Now: They have awakened. Todd McClellan has the Motor City troops playing good hockey, and the Detroit Red Wings are catching up.