Daily Five
*Rumblings, Musings, Opinions*
1. One NHL executive on the Phil Kessel trade speculation last week:
“The leaks are coming from Pittsburgh [Penguins organization] and it grabs your attention [hide] that something isn’t right [behind the scenes].”
Surveying the scene a bit the last couple days, the chatter among some other clubs is Pittsburgh’s simply sending a message to Kessel with the off the record leaks in that he needs to change.
Other NHL folks seem to think Pittsburgh see’s a diminishing asset and want to move the contract in the next year or so while there’s still some value, with the $6.8 million cap hit being the primary reason they’ve investigated the trade market for Kessel at one point this summer.
The Penguins have a lot of guys to pay coming up and also want to be flexible against the cap to make necessary additions during this window that Penguin management feels could become a dynasty in the Cup Era.
The Penguins want to keep Hornqvist around. They want to lock up Rust whose new deal will push $4 million. I think they still have hopes of getting Dumoulin done long-term. Jake Guentzel could be a $4-$5 million a year player after his entry level deal is up and so on.
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2. A Phil Kessel trade isn’t likely happening this summer, but if people think the trade talk is just being churned out by the local media as speculation, they’re wrong.
When it comes to NHL insiders, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is right at the top with TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
Friedman is among those buying the Kessel trade talk.
[hide] “A couple of guys I was talking to about it yesterday [Thursday] say that Pittsburgh would probably have to eat some of that [Kessel’s $6.8 MM cap hit,” Elliotte Friedman said on Sportsnet Radio. I don’t where you’re looking at a team that would want to take the full 6.8.”
“But I do think that the speculation has some merit. I think the Penguins have, at the very least, looked at it. I don’t think it’s necessarily a guarantee that it’s going to happen, but I do think Ron Cook who is the columnist who wrote that, was not wrong, at least in the idea of Pittsburgh investigating it,” said Friedman.
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3. The Pittsburgh Pirates took 2 of 3 from the St. Louis Cardinals, something they had to do leading into a monumental series with the Brewers tonight. Josh Bell provided the heroics Friday night with a 3-run walk-off blast. The rookie is now up to 17 homers on the season and then Pittsburgh put together another walk-off win in rallying Sunday afternoon on an Adam Frazier walk-off single in the ninth.
The Pirates gutted out two necessary wins against the Cardinals and even found a way to rally for a win Sunday with another Clint Hurdle Sunday lineup.
.098 hitter Max Moroff homered in the win and the Pirates hung around despite Trevor Williams allowing 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Cardinals managed just 2 runs off Williams.
A key development in the series was Adam Frazier, especially with Josh Harrison still in a funk. Frazier went 3-5 in Friday night’s walk-off win, including a leadoff double in the ninth and Sunday delivered the walk-off single.
He was 6-12 in the series.
Frazier entered Friday night hitting .198 since June 1.
Despite being 7-3 in their last 10 games and winning their last three series, the Pirates remain seven games back of Milwaukee who are 8-2 in their last 10.
4. Tyler Glasnow’s last six starts in Triple-A Indianapolis:
4-0, 1.49 ERA, 55/15 K/BB ratio
Glasnow’s had strikeout games of 8, 11, 12, 11, 7, and 6.
With Glasnow, until he proves it in the Majors there’s going to be skeptics of anything he does in Indy as his stuff is too powerful for Triple-A players.
Pirate officials, though, have been very encouraged with what they’ve seen.
The velocity in the Majors was down to around 94, which was very concerning. It is now back up to high 90’s and he’s hitting 100.
The Pirates believe the issues in the Majors was more of a confidence issue than anything where Glasnow became too fixated with his control that led to the down velocity.
They are working with him on just letting the ball fly but that’s so much easier to do in the minors than with the big club.
For a player who has gone from one of baseball’s top-10 prospects to now being viewed by many as a back of the rotation starter in a matter of months, Glasnow is now in a situation where few are going to care what he’s doing in the minors but the Pirates insist the view of him hasn’t changed long-term as a top of the rotation starter.
5. Negotiations between the Steelers and Le’Von Bell’s camp went dark for over two months until Friday afternoon.
Pittsburgh, as expected, has made a late push to try to hammer out a new long-term deal. Steelers officials always felt Bell’s camp wouldn’t be willing to really negotiate until right at the deadline and that’s where this is headed.
It’s always been a complicated deal to make but the Steelers have pushed for a deal to get done in the last 48 hours.
The deadline is 4:00 p.m.
One Steelers source tells me if a deal gets done, he predicts it will be within To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Same day as this article comes out Josh Yohe states there is zero interest from the Pens in moving Kessel right now. While he has added the caveat, that most have, it doesnt make him untouchable it’s just not something actively taking place no matter how much people wanna fan the flames.
It originally came from Ron Cook, so that should tell you all you need to know. It doesn’t make any sense for them to move him. Yeah, he gets a nice paycheck, but he also produces at an all star level, doesn’t miss time and steps up in the playoffs.
ANSWER THE QUESTION, SAM.
He’s too busy backtracking on his incessant bitchhing that Jee Bettman put another team in the desert instead of Canada, then using said team’s self proclaimed success (when he said it would fail) to prove some weird point about the Habs. Guy is all over the map.
He’s the John Kerry of this board. Flip Flop!
https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1334968-foley-claims-golden-knights-have-more-ticket-revenue-than-penguins
Address this. Or stop posting.
“San Jose is the 13th most valuable team worth 470MM and net earnings of 7.1MM – Forbes
Dallas is the 12th most valuable team worth 500M and net earnings of 20.9MM – Forbes
NYI is down at 18th worth 385M buuut net earnings of 2.7MM
Tampa is not a valuable franchise per-say but did have net earnings of 3MM” -Me
So bell museum the empty arena that stain constantly post makes more revenue then Pittsburgh? How is that possible shitt stain
I’ll answer your question. When you address the post below.
Sources have confirmed that Phil Kessel is a Stanley Cup Champion.
I agree with Sam, the Pens should sign Brian campbell.
Preds fan discovered he missed out on free tickets to Stanley Cup final. And this is called a fan? No wonder we have more and more useless bandwagons fans taking over seats at the arena and leaving them empty by not showing up
Address this. Or stop posting.
“San Jose is the 13th most valuable team worth 470MM and net earnings of 7.1MM – Forbes
Dallas is the 12th most valuable team worth 500M and net earnings of 20.9MM – Forbes
NYI is down at 18th worth 385M buuut net earnings of 2.7MM
Tampa is not a valuable franchise per-say but did have net earnings of 3MM” -Me
So how many Habs fans forgot to check their twitter account in that pic Stanch has posted several times that you keep falsely addressing?
Or how many pens fans turned off their TV when pens were only down by 2
I know one Habs fan that turned his TV off.
1… you
Sam isn’t a Pens fan so that doesn’t count Zero.
Touche lol
So when did we go from Cook’s comments that the Pens will looking to move Kessel in the near future to they’ve ctually engaged in trade discussions for Kessel? I literally haven’t seen anyone else reporting that there have been actual discussions about trading Kessel this summer.
I wasn’t saying anything about actual deal being discussed, just how sick I am regarding the topic. They just won back to back’s and he is/was important to it happening. The morons that have microphones are driving the issue and criticizing us for talking about the crap they floated. Just saying
I was talking about the article Doogs.
Now if Eklund would say it?!?!? Now that would be fire!!! LMAO
So Freidmans spitballing is proof there is fire? JFC, are we to ignore the caveat then? Was he supposed to just come out and say “He is untouchable” in order to put this to rest? There are 3 or 4 guys on the roster that fit “untouchable” that would mean the other 17-18 are all potential trade targets… there… now we can talk about everyone in the same light. Moron
Is anybody besides Crosby untouchable? I tend to believe that they listened to offers for Malkin years back, I would think they would listen to offers for Letang (injuries) and Murray (goalie depth). To quote Ted DeBiase…..everybody’s got a price!
For the right price, I’d listen to offers for Crosby, too. If Edmonton offered McDavid, I’d drive Sid to the airport.
Before someone loses their shitt – there’s not a deal out there to be made for Crosby – and that’s fine – the point is, for the right offer, everyone is attainable – even the unattainable. Aside from McDavid – probably not a deal that exists that could lure him away.
glad your not running the Penguins Crosby is untouchable… would you trade Lemieux too in his prime
30 years old isn’t “in your prime.” And I said I’d trade him for a 20 year old wunderkind. In 2 seconds.
That’s your excuse. You been wanting sid traded long time ago you even wanted his C removed at a point
What excuse would that be? That I’d trade him for a younger version of himself? And take 15 years of production out of McDavid over the roughly 5 or so Sid has left? If you wouldn’t, you’re an idiot. And…we already know you’re an idiot. Now, address this. Or stop posting. Bitchh. “San Jose is the 13th most valuable team worth 470MM and net earnings of 7.1MM – Forbes Dallas is the 12th most valuable team worth 500M and net earnings of 20.9MM – Forbes NYI is down at 18th worth 385M buuut net earnings of 2.7MM Tampa is not… Read more »
Ah but when same wanted malkin bennett and mattaa traded for mcdavid he was crazy right. And this I wanted the minute oilers had the number 1 pick now to get mcdavid is impossible . Now he is stuck in that shitholee called Edmonton
Sam was crazy because Edmonton would have laughed at you like we all already do.
Now, address this. Or stop posting. Bitchh.
“San Jose is the 13th most valuable team worth 470MM and net earnings of 7.1MM – Forbes
Dallas is the 12th most valuable team worth 500M and net earnings of 20.9MM – Forbes
NYI is down at 18th worth 385M buuut net earnings of 2.7MM
Tampa is not a valuable franchise per-say but did have net earnings of 3MM” -Me
We were laughing because it was Edmonton that would have said no you fucken retard… just like they would if the Pens called about a Crosby McDavid swap.
You know what will be funny though… when the Oilers win a cup with McDavid while youre still making excuses for Bergevin and Therrien lol.
Well Simply Dustin believes it so we know it true now. Crosby, Malkin & Letang fit under the definition of untouchable, meaning that it would take an absolutely insane offer to get them to listen. Murray may have moved into that status for the time being. They’re always going to listen just in case someone does call with that absolutely insane offer that they can’t refuse but they’ve never for a second entertained the idea of trading any of those 3 under any other circumstance.
I don’t know if Letang is untouchable, or not worth the risk at this point to another potential suitor, but yes – shy of being blown away, they’re not budging on the other two.
As a GM (at least the good ones in which JR is), you should always be looking at potential options to better off your team. Especially in the off season, all personnel should be on the block to test their value/market besides the three untouchables in 87, 71, and now 30.
Exit Fleury…..Enter Kessel to D’s “they’re desperately trying to trade him every day, but nobody wants him” rumor mill.
Buy out LeContract.
Oh wait he’ll be on LTIR again anyway, so his contact won’t count against the cap.
So let me get this straight. Bryan Rust has never put up more than 28 points in a season. He’s going to push for a $4M contract. But Kessel…who’s flirted with being a point per game player. Who put up 70 points. Who was top 3 in scoring during both Cup runs. Who has more goals in the playoffs the last two years than any player in the league. They’re going to have eat money to get someone to take a $6.8M cap hit? Something doesn’t sound right there.
Something??? Pretty much everything written on this site doesn’t sound right and it ain’t because of DePaoli’s horrendous English skills.
Caps in 5
So tired of the Kessel crap. It was a made up line by Cook to drum up interest in his pathetic show. The Pens capitalized in the City’s moronic media and ran with it. Watched one of those sports talk shows last night. Tim Benz is an ABSOLUTE IDIOT!!! He called us “sheepole”. Go away again Tim!!! You and your mini-Madden style!!! Jason Mackey was the only one with a clue. Slow news times…ooooh i got it lets make up some crap and then make fun of people that talk about it!!!
You say that Cook made it up. Elliotte Friedman, whose about as connected as they come, says that Cook didn’t make it up. I wonder who I should believe?
Cory, I’m never here to stir SHIT. I don’t care who you believe. I’m just talking here.