CHICAGO —The Pittsburgh Penguins had some varying opinions on their recent hard left turn that changed optimism into draft lottery talk, and we dug past the cliches for some answers. The Penguins are likely to get some good injury news today, too. Elsewhere in the Daily, The Athletic played trade matchmaker, Team Canada issued a couple of apologies from their first game, then hung on for dear life in their second. The Flyers are trying to trade Egor Zamula . And even Jake Guentzel tossed some mitts as Tampa Bay and Florida tussled again.
Sometimes the travel gods take a little back. For all of the great little places I've found in the last few years, they can't all be winners.
A speakeasy around the corner from my hotel in the Loop? Sure! A chill, dimly lit bar with a supposedly good little kitchen has my name written all over it. And then I sat down to order…$54 with tip?! That one went on my personal card because I couldn't dare charge PHN for it. The ambience kind of stunk, too.
But Chicago will always hold a special place for me. Not just for the great blue collar eats and Italian Beef, but for one of the greatest movies ever made.
When my son was four, I worked nights in radio, which meant I got to spend all day with him. Like most kids, the mornings meant an endless string of Nick Jr. shows. Blue's Clues. Franklin. And the inspidly dull Little Bear. One morning, I'd had enough, and I introduced … The Blues Brothers.
It took about 15 minutes of car crashes, music, and two guys in dark suits and sunglasses for my little man to be hooked. Sweet Home Chicago became his favorite song. We even dressed as Jake and Elwood for Halloween, and he took his role as Jake very seriously.
That was a long time ago, but as many of you know, time bends in both directions when you're a parent.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Given the holiday, I kept this week's Penguins room story free instead of behind the PHN+ paywall. I had a simple question for players and the coach. What has to change? And, they answered, for real. Check out the Penguins locker room story.
Steelers Now: If they win, they win the division. If not, they don't deserve it. Here's the tee-up, from TV times to announcers, to betting lines and depth charts in the Steelers pregame .
Sportsnet/HNIC: Elliotte Friedman on Hockey Night in Canada had a few interesting nuggets in the Headlines Segment. Pete DeBoer reached out to Craig Berube to brush off the coaching change rumors, and the Flyers are trying to trade rather than lose Egor Zamula for nothing .
NHLtraderumors.me: We'll start with the apologies by Team Canada for a few bits of unsportsmanlike conduct. Porter Martone taunted Czechia, and Dale Hunter took the boys off the ice before shaking hands. Canada had to issue some sorries, eh .
Sportnet: And, go Latvia! The little engine that could is growing into a contender, and for the second straight year, they took the mighty Canadians past regulation, and scared the bejesus out of Canada .
The Athletic ($): Trying to predict the NHL trade market is usually guesswork, at best. Who will make a good offer for Steve Stamkos , Ryan O'Reilly, and Rasmus Andersson ? Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun take their best guesses .
Florida Hockey Now: The NHL warned the teams before puck drop to keep it kosher. They did, kind of, amassing only 136 penalty minutes. Even Jake Guenztel went after AJ Greer, with whom the Lightning have beef. It was a wild one, and here are the deets as Tampa beat the Florida Panthers .
Toronto Hockey Now: Fire Marc Savard , and there have been immediate changes to the power play. Dave Littman details the sweeping changes for the Toronto Maple Leafs .
Detroit Hockey Now: We'll end the Saturday Daily with another good one from Bob Duff in his weekly, What We're Hearing column. This one is a doozy–could the Red Wings be on the shortlist for Rasmus Andersson? The Red Wings trade winds are blowing.
The post Dan's Daily: Canada Apologizes; Trade Matchmaker; Penguins Speak appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now .
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