WILKES-BARRE, Pa. \u2014 Team USA beat Denmark Saturday, but they tried to give the game away. And tried some more before eventually winning because Brady Tkachuk refused to lose. The Round Robin seedings are just about complete. PHN is in Wilkes-Barre for an upclose and personal look at the Penguins\u2019 prospects, who did not look very good Saturday but provided enough information for a very honest look at the state of the Penguins\u2019 rebuild. And we finished up some locker room conversations from before the Olympic break on an odd couple that is picking up the Pittsburgh Penguins. <\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think everyone got the humor or tongue-in-cheek nature of my headline Friday regarding the story on Ben Kindel and Anthony Mantha. It was a story that will be listed below that I hope you read\u2013it\u2019s the kind of \u201cbetter\u201d work that I\u2019d like to do more of. <\/p>\n
Of course, I wrote it at the Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins morning skate after somehow making the trip in well less than four hours, finished it at the nearby Starbucks, then polished it at a decent little NY-style pizza spot, and published it while waiting to check in at the Wilkes-Barre Quality Inn and Celebrity Enclave. <\/p>\n
Today, I\u2019ve got the decent conversations that we had with Owen Pickering and Tanner Howe. <\/p>\n
I just wish the boys had given me a bit more to write about Saturday night. They were brutal. <\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Penguins<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: I\u2019m not sure which is Felix and which is Oscar, nor am I sure just how many of you get the famous reference. The headline (The Draft Reach and the Rebound) is a poke at their Penguins origins, but the Penguins have an odd couple who are filling the net. With dressing room insights from players and the coach, here\u2019s why Ben Kindel and Anthony Mantha<\/a> are so important.<\/p>\n Just read it. There are no trade rumors or cutting breakdowns, but it\u2019s a good combo of a feature story and hockey analysis. <\/p>\n PHN+: The Baby Pens lost 5-0, and it wasn\u2019t that close. Sergei Murashov made some impressive saves, but he also let a couple of pucks dribble behind him. The rest of the team, as coach Kirk MacDonald said, \u201clooked like we were still in Miami.\u201d (A lot of the guys took a team vacation to Miami for the All-Star break). <\/p>\n However, from the carnage of the terrible loss to Syracuse, we were able to get a look at the bigger picture as it relates to the prospects and the Pittsburgh Penguins\u2019 rebuild. For subscribers, our overall (and some uncomfortable) thoughts on the WBS Penguins and the state of the Penguins\u2019 rebuild<\/a>.<\/p>\n Steelers Now: The anonymous NFL players\u2019 poll about facilities and organizations has been banned. Yep, the annual report, which has been increasingly unkind to the Pittsburgh Steelers, was banned as a violation of the CBA. So, there\u2019s nothing to see here, no bad Steelers news<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Baseball Now: It\u2019s time for Spring Training. Danny Demilio has the 1.0 predictions for the Pirates roster<\/a>.<\/p>\n NHL Trade Talk, Olympics, & National Hockey Now<\/p>\n NHL.com: Jeremy Swayman allowed a goal from center ice. Denmark pulled to within 4-3 in the third period. And it looked like Team USA was going to tank an important game. They survived, and Sean Rourke has the details, the gory Brady Tkachuk survivalist details<\/a>.<\/p>\n I dare say, if Team USA fails to medal, coach Mike Sullivan is going to take the same industry hit that Dan Bylsma did in the same situation. If you don\u2019t remember the fallout in 2014, almost overnight, Bylsma went from a good coach to on his way out of the industry. <\/p>\n Sportsnet: Slovakia is now the tournament Cinderella. They lost Saturday, but they still celebrated. Juraj Slafkovsky is having a time and called it the best loss of his life. Slovakia flipped the tournament and made life more difficult for the Canadians<\/a>.<\/p>\n In fairness, I don\u2019t think anyone has a prayer against the Canadians, but their medal route is now a bit more perilous. <\/p>\n NHLtraderumors.me: It was a slow news day on the NHL trade chatter front. Chris Johnston laid bare some trade chatter regarding Evander Kane, including the Vancouver Canucks willingness to eat 50% of his salary and their ask, which is a third-round pick<\/a>.<\/p>\n ESPN: This could rattle the trade market just a bit. LA Kings forward Kevin Fiala\u2019s injury at the Olympics is season-ending. The LA Kings\u2019 push for a playoff spot took a hit, and the trade rumors are already percolating. ESPN has the details on Fiala\u2019s injury<\/a>.<\/p>\n Colorado Hockey Now: Mailbag time. Aarif Deen looked ahead to the rapidly approaching NHL trade deadline and the shopping list for the juggernaut Colorado Avalanche<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: nhl trade<\/a> Olympics<\/a> Penguins Prospects<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> <\/p>\n Categorized:Links<\/a> NHL Trade Rumors<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WILKES-BARRE, Pa. \u2014 Team USA beat Denmark Saturday, but they tried to give the game away. 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