What do you call a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect who scores goals in his first three professional game and each one is in its own way a beaut? You call him Bill Zonnon and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins won Game 3. Also, Sam Wismer provided us a stock report on Zonnon, which published Tuesday morning before Zonnon went three-for-three. And PHN built on our earlier Penguins trade list of the impact players, but circling four unhappy youngsters or RFAs who might be on general manager Kyle Dubas’s shopping list, but we removed one longtime target.

Elsewhere in the Daily, the NHL trade rumors, or at least other team’s shopping lists, are popping up as teams and writers get back to work. The Vancouver Canucks cleaned house, and Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon gave fairly unsatisfactory answers to why the VGK blew off the media (again) after Game 6 and why they’ve not given permission for Bruce Cassidy to interview with other teams.

I very much want to get to Springfield and Wilkes-Barre for the remainder of the series, but the rain means I’d have to take my car and, well, that’s just not nearly as much fun. And, there are no cheap-o hotels in Springfield. So, if there is a deciding Game 5, then I’ll head up. Otherwise, I’ll wait for the Eastern Conference Final against Cleveland or Toronto.

In fact, I think we should organize a travel gang for either one!

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: From AHL reporter Sam Wismer, The Bill Zonnon stock report.

So, our first Penguins trade list were the veterans and impact players in their mid to later 20s. That list was the Jason Robertson list. Now, we’re looking at the younger, unproven, and not-yet-established players who find themselves in similar situations as was Egor Chinakhov. Check out our latest Penguins trade list.

The next list is going to be the “scraps” list of several names you’ve been watching.

The WBS Penguins beat the Springfield Thunderbirds 2-1 in Game 3. Rutger McGroarty scored a shortie and Zonnon netted another GWG.

NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now

TSN: The Vancouver Canucks are letting the place air out. Jim Rutherford stepped down. GM Patrik Allvin was fired. And now first-year coach Adam Foote and staff got the boot, too. Ch-ch-changes in Vancouver.

Chicago Sun-Times: A couple of days after the report the Chicago Blackhawks will try to trade the rights to Ilya Mikheyev, Ben Pope puts GM Kyle Davidson on notice that the Blackhawks rebuild is meandering and it is time to get aggressive on the trade market.

Chicago Hockey Now: I thought last year was a great exposition of a lot of draftnicks, especially the American crew who badly missed on numerous prospects. Too many of these folks aren’t going into the trenches and doing in-person scouting. If they are to be believed this year, a potential first-overall pick (and a darned good player) could fall to the Blackhawks at No. 4.

Sportsnet: Kelly McCrimmon returned from a meeting with the NHL about their appeal of a punishment for blowing off the media. Their appeal was denied, and McCrimmon sort of tossed coach John Tortorella under the bus and then took some responsibility, too. But he also gave a weak sauce answer that the team is focused on the playoffs and that’s why they’ve not given Cassidy permission to interview.

The coaching union is now monitoring the situation, but c’mon. One word. Yes. That’s how long it takes to give permission. Or, tell Cassidy, no, we don’t want you with our rival teams, and we’ll pay you the millions owed to keep you away from them. These conversations take 10 minutes at most. At least the GM absolved the PR staff, who are good people.

Puckpedia.com: The new RFA offer sheet levels and compensations were announced and PuckPedia also listed all of the teams eligible to bid at each threshold.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Sheldon Keefe is safe for now, but new GM Sunny Mehta shook up the New Jersey Devils coaching staff.

The Athletic ($): All pressure is now on Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin because the team is on the cusp of contending, but they have one gigantic missing piece: A No. 1 center. The team can’t get over the hump on its own, so now all eyes and pressure are on Guerin.

I could see a scenario in which a former Penguins goalie and Guerin sweet talk a current Penguins free agent into going there for a year. I’m just spitballing.

ESPN.com: What comes next, who goes, who stays for the Buffalo Sabres now that their magical run is over?

Also on TSN TV, I found this amusing. Is Buffalo cursed?

Organizations have had decades long runs of futility, but the city of Buffalo stands alone in championship futility. It’s almost painful to watch. Of course, in the era of free agency, places like Buffalo, Cleveland, and further north that are battered economies and are further battered by feet of snow have an even tougher task.

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