And away we go on the post-holiday Daily with some heavy-duty NHL trade rumors regarding young players that might appeal to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Also tangentially related to the Penguins, it seems Dallas Stars teammates have had enough of the Jason Robertson saga and want him to re-sign to put an end to it all. The Nashville Predators handed Mavrik Bourque a bag of money, and with some incredulity, sarcasm, and acquiescence, we looked at the possibility that the Penguins could also tender a monster offer sheet.

Hopefully, everyone has the same number of digits they began July 4 with. America surviving this great experiment for 250 years with the freedoms and opportunities we have is a blessing.

So, after an extremely enjoyable ride from Ridgway (still digesting the greatest prime rib I’ve ever had), I rolled through St. Mary’s for a Straub beer, and kept going on Rt. 120 through Emporium to a rough little town, Renovo, which was once a railroad hub but is now just remnants of folks who haven’t left. There’s no grocery store or restaurant, just a sportsman’s club. From there, it got really fun heading down Rt. 144 (maybe the best motorcycle/sportscar ride in Pennsylvania), for 75 miles over the hills toward Clearfield. My plan for a beer in several of the small towns was interrupted by a shocking lack of bars. And no gas stations. I coasted down the hill toward Clearfield for an Amish lunch. But then had to play detour around the rain…which I almost pulled off.

My doctor asked if I was ever depressed. I said, I’ve got a motorcycle. He said, that’s not really an answer. And I said, then you don’t have a motorcycle. I hope you enjoyed yours as much as I did.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Well then, with some dismissive approval and exasperated acknowledgment of reality, we examine the potential, possibility, and advantages, kind of, that the Penguins should offer sheet a big-name RFA.

Steelers Now: Here’s a different opinion. Jerome Bettis thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers are 10x better than last year. Here’s why the Steelers legend said so.

NHL Trade Talk, Free Agency, & NHN

NHLtraderumors.me: Jeff Marek reports on his podcast that Dallas teammates are giving Jason Robertson some side-eye. They feel Dallas has made him a good offer, and it’s time to put this nonsense to rest, which would also take him off the trade block.

Sportsnet: In addition to the Leo Carlsson fallout, Elliotte Friedman dug into a couple of new trade efforts surrounding young players. Not only is Alexander Nikishin getting offers and St. Louis is looking hard at him, but the Seattle Kraken have agreed to seek offers for Shane Wright, who wants to go to a team that will make him a top-six center.

Yikes, kid. It wasn’t a good look at the draft when some teams thought him presumptuous and a little too confident, but a few years later, after a 27-point season, he wants to be traded. And, yes, the Penguins should do their due diligence.

NHL.com: Hello, Nashville. A few days after Dallas traded Mavrik Bourque to the Nashville Predators, they delivered a six-year, $33 million contract to the previously blocked and buried forward.

Oh, and in case you’re curious, Gavin McKenna settled on No. 92 in Toronto.

Philly Hockey Now: The clock is ticking on the Anaheim Ducks to match the monstrous Philadelphia Flyers offer sheet for Carlsson. Will James turned the tables and examined the Anaheim Ducks cap situation and whether it makes sense for them to match the Flyers’ offer.

I love the work Will does. If I could find 20 more bright young writers like him…

New Jersey Hockey Now: The clock is also ticking down on the Utah Mammoth to match the Barrett Hayton offer. If they do, James Nichols already has a Plan B lined up for the New Jersey Devils.

Florida Hockey Now: They might as well walk to the ice with bagpipes, a kilt, and Hot Rod t-shirts. The ultimate bad guys in the NHL have somehow gotten a lot bigger, meaner, and tougher in the offseason. In fact, newly signed Radko Gudas is ready to wreak “havoc” for the Florida Panthers.

Tags: jason robertson nhl trade Pittsburgh Penguins

Categorized:Links NHL Trade Rumors Pittsburgh Penguins