WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — We’re in Wilkes-Barre for another day. A good snowstorm rolled through last night, so we’re going to hit up the WBS Penguins practice and get a few more conversations in with the Pittsburgh Penguins prospects. We got an eye full this weekend, and our full coverage is available for free (because I got a bunch more emails with subscriber problems and I’m as sick of the problems as you are). We also delivered some Olympic break grades for the Penguins’ defensemen.

Elsewhere in the Daily, Matthew Tkachuk delivered some all-timer chirps to Leon Draisaitl in Team USA’s win over Germany. Sidney Crosby set an Olympics record. And in the NHL trade rumors department, we’ve got the Edmonton Oilers again shifting their shifted priorities and the New Jersey Devils looking for a shakeup.

PHN+ subscribers, it seems problems are fixed for many of you, but I’m getting a few more emails about problems. First, make sure you start at the beginning of this journey with the email we sent to reset your password. Then, let me know. I’m getting some measure of control back this week, so we’ll get you fixed up one way or another, but you may have to give me a minute because there’s only one of me (often cited as a good thing).

It’s been a rough go for months here, but you know I’ll keep working. My loyalty is to all of you above anything else. In those early days, I know who took care of me. I’m also reminded of a story my father once told me:

A sparrow was flying south, but the air was cold. As the ice formed on his wings, he landed in a field. A cow wandered past and crapped on him. Initially disgusted, he realized the warm manure melted the ice, and he began to sing. A nearby cat heard the happy chirps, dug him out, cleaned him up, and promptly ate him.

The morals I so often ignore. Not everyone who craps on you is your enemy. Not everyone who digs you out is your friend. And when you’re in the shit, close your mouth.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Over the past couple of seasons, the defense has been one of the worst units in the league. Now? Things are different, though far from perfect. We delivered some honest grades, plenty of good ones, but some real critiques, too. The resurgence and the questions on the Penguins’ blue line.

PHN+ (Free preview): Two games, plenty of conversations. My own eyes and experience are balanced with what they’re saying on the inside. These Wilkes-Barre scouting trips are fun, though I might be banned from the premises after WBS earned only one point this weekend, thus continuing the Kingerski curse.

From Rutger McGroarty to Owen Pickering, and the prospects in between, who is progressing, who is regressing, and who coach Kirk MacDonald said plays better when he’s a prick–It’s in the Penguins’ prospects report.

Also, Matt Dumba suffered a facial injury Sunday. We’ll update the story later this morning.

I talked with Owen Pickering and Tanner Howe Saturday. Who do you want to talk to today? I’m thinking Sergei Murashov and Ville Koivunen (though he’s tough because of the language barrier).

TSN: Shocked? During their pasting of France, Sidney Crosby became the all-time highest scoring Olympian, ever.

I’ll admit it. I enjoy covering Crosby, and I enjoy the accolades and records because it means some things are right in this world.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

Sportsnet: OK, you may love Matthew Tkachuk. You may, like many opponents, hate him. But he really got after Draisaitl Sunday with some hard chirps, “Always a bridesmaid!”

I’ve heard that Rowdy Roddy Piper had a notebook that he traveled with and was always scribbling thoughts and ideas for his famous one-liners. I feel like Tkachuk probably has one, too.

Rory Boylen goes through the end of the Round Robin portion of the tournament. Everything you need to know, from the seedings, implications, and what comes next.

Unfortunately, I’m a little bit down on the tournament. If the USA gets to the gold medal game, it’s going to be a squash. I can’t see them hanging with Canada, which is so … so good.

Edmonton Journal: Mr. David Staples and Mr. Bob Stauffer. It seems the Edmonton Oilers are shifting their trade market search from a fortifying top-nine forward to a top-four defenseman.

NHLtraderumors.me: Mike Rupp reports that Vladislav Gavrikov, who just signed a seven-year deal with the New York Rangers in the offseason, might be rethinking his life choices. Gavrikov may ask out of New York, please and thank you.

RG.org: I’m always hesitant with this website, so always keep it in perspective. Jimmy Murphy is tied in with the Devils, so I’ll share this–it seems New Jersey is chumming the trade waters not to sell or buy, but for a shakeup sort of trade.

San Jose Hockey Now: I know some of you are suckers for players and their dogs. Sheng Peng has the full rundown–the players and their dogs of the San Jose Sharks.

Montreal Hockey Now: Just wow. The Olympics have been a cotillion for young Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slavkovsky.

Tags: nhl trade Olympics Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby

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