SALT LAKE CITY — The Pittsburgh Penguins are headed home Tuesday, and it seems they will be doing so with their tail between their legs. This road trip mercilessly exposed their deepest flaws. The coach is bailing water on a seemingly impossible task, and the team’s only consistency is inconsistency. All of this while general manager Kyle Dubas is putting veteran players on the NHL trade market. And yes, the Penguins players are fully aware of the recent report.
Elsewhere in the Daily, the Connor Hellebuyck situation is coming to a head in the next few days. The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for real help on the blue line. And an interesting debate: Who will get the worse homecoming boos, Quinn Hughes or Brady Tkachuk?
Another stiff column coming today. At the risk of confirming my own opinion from the offseason, it’s time for several prospects to get the call. More incoming.
Homeward bound.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Coach Dan Muse put his lines in a blender, changed defense pairings, and yet it all came out the same. Bad mistakes in the defensive zone and invisible players in the offensive zone. Yet, the Penguins nearly stole a point from the hockey gods. Here’s the report card: Let’s go inside the room after another bad loss and get to the heart of the Penguins’ problems.
We broke down the breakdowns. Every goal: who scored, who was at fault, and how.
And the trade talk, trade values, the logic, and the straight talk from our Penguins Q&A.
And the Penguins postgame vid:
NHL Trade Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now
Sportsnet: The trade rumor roundup from Elliotte Friedman’s latest 32 Thoughts. By the way, I’m told he referenced the Penguins trying to move Rickard Rakell to Columbus over the summer as part of a return for Kirill Marchenko, but did so in passing. From Hellebuyck to the Dylan Larkin impact and an upset defenseman in Boston, here are the four big talking points on the trade block.
I must be slipping. I should have written a full Penguins trade value piece by now. We’ll see how much energy I’ve got today.
TSN Video: TSN floated a unique segment. Quinn Hughes and Brady Tkachuk make their homecomings to cities they spurned. Who will get booed louder?
The segment was way too chipper.
Winnipeg Sun: After a hot start to the season in the AHL, the Winnipeg Jets have recalled former Penguins first-round pick Brayden Yager. And everyone seems excited.
ESPN: At least three teams are in the mix for Hellebuyck, writes ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. Though she didn’t name the team, the Hellebuyck situation seems to be coming to a conclusion.
Detroit Hockey Now: It’s time for the Dylan Larkin stalemate to end, too. Is this the week? Max Smith took the totality of the rumors, the teams involved, and distilled it down for the Detroit Red Wings‘ next move.
Philly Hockey Now: Don’t look now, the previously winless and left-for-dead Philadelphia Flyers are now tied with the Penguins at seven points. The Colorado Avalanche were no match for Matvei Michkov and the Flyers’ attack.
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