Kris Letang returned to practice, but coach Dan Muse shuffled the defense pairings just in case Letang isn’t ready Tuesday. In the bigger picture, the real Pittsburgh Penguins are going to face reality as the season is underway, and teams begin to dial in. Elsewhere in the Daily, Buffalo Sabres fans let rip Monday night, and they want immediate changes. The Edmonton Oilers have a short leash for goalie Stuart Skinner, and Montreal Canadiens wunderkind defenseman Lane Hutson got a nice payday.

Day 2 in LA was a bit of a challenge. My internal clock wants to eat a late dinner, but that time here is 4 or 5 p.m., before a lot of places are ready or after a lot of the smaller lunch spots close.

So, I wandered into the only hangout-looking type bar within several blocks, but it was … a VEGAN bar?! To each their own, but that was a new experience for me. They had a couple of real burgers, you know, with ground meat, on the menu. So, I had a pretty good burger … to the eyeroll of others.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Now we find out where the Penguins really fit into the NHL hierarchy. Are they better than we think? From Sidney Crosby’s start, sending down Ville Koivunen and a primer on Dan Muse’s system, the Penguins’ one-timers.

Kris Letang returned to practice, but was in a yellow jersey. He hasn’t yet been cleared to return, but those conversations were to happen after practice. In the meantime, Muse shuffled the defense pairings at Penguins practice.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

The Score: Sabres fans chanted, “Fire Adams!” GM Kevyn Adams has done little to distinguish his tenure in Buffalo as the losing years mount, and now the team has an 0-3-0 record. The players popped off after another loss, too. Rasmus Dahlin was blunt.

Edmonton Journal: It’s finally now or never for goalie Stuart Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers. The insiders discuss the very limited leeway Skinner will get with the Oilers and the make-or-break moment he’s facing.

The Penguins would do well to get one of their goalies going. It is believed the Oilers offered Vancouver more than the Penguins for Arturs Silovs. And from what we saw in preseason, it won’t be long before Mr. Murashov is ready for his NHL start.

Forever Blueshirts: After a rough opening game loss to the Penguins, the Rangers have quickly rebounded. One reason is that coach Mike Sullivan is getting the best out of Mika Zibanejad.

Montreal Hockey Now: A big contract and a young player who earned it. Everything is looking up for Lane Hutson and the Montreal Canadiens.

NHLTradeRumors.me: There’s a little-known codicil in the Faber constitution that gives the Dean unlimited power to preserve order in times of emergency. There’s also a little-known wrinkle in Jack Roslovic’s new contract with the Edmonton Oilers that becomes a four-team approved trade clause on Nov. 1.

Philly Hockey Now: It was a good night for the Flyers. They took it to the Florida Panthers. Sean Couturier had a game, and so did Trevor Zegras.

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