Here we go. The Pittsburgh Penguins need just one more win to punch their ticket to the 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They get their first chance Thursday against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. We\u2019ll have full coverage from the Rock beginning this morning. The Penguins also recalled a promising prospect from Russia, and we delivered some inside conversations from the Penguins\u2019 room. <\/p>\n
Elsewhere in the Daily, Our Devils reporter James Nichols laid out the five issues that cost general manager Tom Fitzgerald his job. Alex Ovechkin is going to wait to decide on his future, but Saturday could very well be his last appearance in Pittsburgh. Also, the Capitals stayed on the fringe of the playoff race with a win Wednesday. More changes in Vancouver and they could become sweeping. And Linus Ullmark opened up about continuing battles with his mental health. <\/p>\n
I wish the Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins played tomorrow night so I could make the quick stop and watch the new kids. I suppose I\u2019ll go next Wednesday as the Penguins will be off. I\u2019m still hoping to bag the St. Louis trip, though I have not yet canceled. it. <\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Penguins<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Each year, the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominates one player for the Masterton Trophy, an award for perseverence and dedication. It was an easy vote for me\u2013Anthony Mantha. Others agreed. But in the conversation with Mantha, just how he\u2019s finally unlocked the very best of himself at 31 came into focus. Silver linings, challenges, and some help for the Penguins Masterton nominee<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Penguins have not demoted Sergei Murashov, but he\u2019s with the Penguins as a precaution. Perhaps quite fittingly, Vince Comunale talked with the Penguins\u2019 EBUGs, as their time is ending. This is the last season we could ever see a Zamboni driver beat the Toronto Maple Leafs. A fond farewell to the EBUG era<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Russians are coming! Mikhail Ilyin is coming to the Penguins, and the WBS Penguins signed a couple more draft picks to ATOs. Here\u2019s everyone headed to WBS, but more on the intriguing Penguins prospect<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that flight delays and travel hell denied us the chance to see Ilyin last July. Like a lot of Penguins prospects, he needs to work on his skating, but the hands and hockey IQ are most certainly there. <\/p>\n PHN+: For our subscribers, I spent a couple of days zigging while the media herd zagged (I mean, that\u2019s usually the case, but I was especially avoidant this week). I noticed something in Sergei Murashov\u2019s shootout approach, and then he walked me through it with some great insights. And other players are waiting their chance to get back into the lineup. Some insightful convos in the Penguins room<\/a>.<\/p>\n All three goalies are on the trip. <\/p>\n NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now<\/p>\n New Jersey Hockey Now: Quite simply, but painfully, the five things that led to the Tom Fitzgerald\u2019s ouster as New Jersey Devils GM<\/a>.<\/p>\n RMNB: Alex Ovechkin won\u2019t decide on retirement until after the season. He wants to wait to make the call<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Athletic ($): A possible change at GM for the Vancouver Canucks. Elevating Patrik Allvin instead of firing him. And a possible change at coach after just one year after Vancouver won less than 10 homes games. It\u2019s a mess in Vancouver<\/a>.<\/p>\n As reported by the Seattle Kraken, Ron Francis is stepping down as team president. <\/p>\n NHLtraderumors.me: A couple of rejections have hit the Nashville Predators GM search. Carolina flatly rejected Nashville\u2019s request to speak with Eric Tulsky, and now Vancouver declined to let Nashville speak with their AHL GM Ryan Johnson. The fun keeps going in Nashville<\/a>.<\/p>\n NHL.com: They are hanging in there. The Washington Capitals are a long shot, but they\u2019re still alive after they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday. It won\u2019t be easy, but they\u2019re making a playoff push<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wouldn\u2019t that be something if Columbus and Philly can\u2019t close them out and we get Sid and Ovi one more time? But given the hotel prices in D.C. right now, you and I might have to live in a van down by the river. <\/p>\n Sportsnet: Jason Bukala ranked the top 32 prospects who have not yet played a game in the NHL. In that regard, I think he got the Penguins\u2019 top prospect wrong; it should be Bill Zonnon, but here you go<\/a>.<\/p>\n Boston Hockey Now: Possible 2025 top overall pick who slid outside the top five, but is still exciting scouts, will be exciting fans at the TD Garden\u2014James Hagens is done with college. He signed his entry level contract and will report immediately to the Boston Bruins<\/a>.<\/p>\n Philly Hockey Now: The Penguins\u2019 magic number is two. The Philadelphia Flyers have a much tougher task to close out their playoff berth. Their magic number is seven. Here are the scenarios tonight to get it lower and get the Flyers into the playoffs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Games to Watch Tonight<\/p>\n The Penguins clinch if they win in any fashion. They can also clinch if they get a point and the Columbus Blue Jackets lose to the Buffalo Sabres in any fashion. The third scenario is that the Penguins can get in even if they lose to New Jersey if the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New York Islanders in any fashion, and Columbus loses to Buffalo in regulation. <\/p>\n Toronto at the Islanders. 6:45 p.m. <\/p>\n Columbus at Buffalo. 7 p.m. <\/p>\n Florida at Ottawa. 7 p.m. <\/p>\n Philadelphia at Detroit. 7 p.m. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Alex Ovechkin<\/a> nhl news<\/a> nhl playoff scenarios<\/a> nhl rumors<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> <\/p>\n Categorized:Links<\/a> NHL Trade Rumors<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Here we go. 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