The Pittsburgh Penguins prospects rolled through their exit interviews, many shoulders slumped trying to find positives and embrace their impressive season. We were the only Pittsburgh media outlet there for Game 6 and their breakup day. NHN has some final thoughts on the prospects\u2019 performance, one severe injury, and a Penguins trade path that\u2019s well worn and perhaps for good reason.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in the Daily, the Edmonton Oilers are set to pull a stunner at the coaching level, and even my jaw dropped. The NHL trade chatter around Dylan Larkin will center on three teams as the center submitted his short list to Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. Montreal is examining a Kirby Dach trade, and Jason Bukala of Sportsnet puts the period on the NHL scouting combine with notes from the prospect interviews.<\/p>\n
Greetings from Williamsport. When the Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins shifted their exit interviews from morning to the late afternoon, I assumed Williamsport was the furthest I would get, so we holed up here for the evening and now I\u2019m racing home before the rain. In fact, I\u2019m writing this at 3 a.m. so I can leave around 6. <\/p>\n
Do you ever assume a travel adventure is coming, so you follow the story? I asked the far too gregarious front desk clerk where I could eat in Williamsport that wasn\u2019t a chain restaurant. He told me about a little place downtown that really knows how to cook burgers medium rare (believe it or not, that and a bewildering lack of seasoning are troublesome things in the mountains of Central PA) and is a chill hangout. So, like a classic 1990s adventure game with poor graphics, I followed the directions from the random character who showed up with valuable information. How could I not? <\/p>\n
First, the place was impossible to find and then to get to. The GPS went batty, sending me the wrong way down one-way streets and to nonexistent alleys. But after several laps around the tiny city, I finally got there. The hostess was a tiny sort, probably under 5-foot, who looked up at me and half rolled her eyes when I just wanted to sit at the bar, as if to say, \u201cLook, we\u2019re full, go away.\u201d But I pressed on and wedged myself into an empty seat between two groups, and ordered my prescribed burger, dramatically known as \u2026 The Dragon Slayer. Then, I awaited the magic. <\/p>\n
Alas, there was no adventure. The obnoxious guys beside me were friends with the bartender but were decidedly jerks, so much so that I just turned and looked at them with a \u201cwhat the hell is wrong with you\u201d look. And the burger was \u2026 basically burnt. No pics, no further comment, no cool story. Game over. And away we go\u2026.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Penguins<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The column finished from a reclined training table at the WBS Penguins practice rink. If was going to be there all day, I might as well get comfy. Five Thoughts on the Penguins prospect pool, Owen Pickering, Wilkes-Barre\u2019s struggle as a viable minor league city, and a related Penguins trade path<\/a> not often discussed. <\/p>\n It\u2019s actually a trade physical. I\u2019ve been dealt to Pittsburgh for a pizza to be named later. https:\/\/t.co\/kkXrlPszlV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) June 8, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Steelers Now: It\u2019s a bit premature, but Derrick Bell is already seeing differences between Mike Tomlin and Mike McCarthy. It\u2019s an interesting read on the Steelers head coaches<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Baseball Now: The games aren\u2019t going so well for the Buccos, but the minor league system is moving. Danny Demilio reports three were promoted to AAA in the latest Pirates prospects report<\/a>.<\/p>\n NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now<\/p>\n TSN: What are the Edmonton Oilers doing? There have been meetings with top players, ownership, and a submission for permission from the NHLPA, for Edmonton to hire \u2026 wait for it \u2026 Mike Babcock?!<\/a><\/p>\n So, Edmonton wants to win so badly that they\u2019re willing to bring in someone who has exhibited unmitigated cruelty. Babcock verbally and mentally abused Johan Franzen into depression and a breakdown. Several Detroit players went on record to call Babcock the worst human they\u2019ve ever met. In Toronto, he intentionally embarrassed Mitch Marner multiple times. Babcock said he learned his lessons, but was so manipulative in Columbus that he didn\u2019t last from his introductory press conference to opening night. <\/p>\n Shocking is an understatement. For the record, Edmonton already has trouble attracting free agents. This will not help. <\/p>\n Detroit Hockey Now: Unsurprisingly, the three teams are the Vegas Golden Knights, the Minnesota Wild, and the Florida Panthers. It\u2019s the Dylan Larkin<\/a> short list.<\/p>\n Sportsnet: I enjoy Jason Bukala\u2019s scouting work. His analysis from the scouting combine interviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n Carolina Hockey Now: Carolina won\u2019t name a starting goalie, but Rachel Barkey has the lines, notes, and how to watch Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final<\/a>.<\/p>\n TVA: Renaud Lavioe believes the Montreal Canadiens could get a little something back for young but often injured center Kirby Dach in a trade, perhaps a second-round, maybe a third-round pick<\/a>. <\/p>\n Yes, Dach remains on our list as a prime target who fits Kyle Dubas\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n ESPN: The LA Kings surveyed the landscape of potentially exciting new coaching hires. They looked at the pool of candidates and new GM Ken Holland\u2013himself part of the hockey circle carousel\u2013hired a well-experienced coach who generally lasts only a couple of seasons, Peter Laviolette<\/a>.<\/p>\n Philly Hockey Now: Will James has shifted to Draft coverage and his team is in quite a similar spot as the Penguins. Like the Penguins, the Philadelphia Flyers could move up at the Draft, and Will looked at the prospects the Flyers could trade up <\/a>to get.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: dylan larkin<\/a> mike babcock<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> <\/p>\n Categorized:Links<\/a> NHL Trade Rumors<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Pittsburgh Penguins prospects rolled through their exit interviews, many shoulders slumped trying to find positives and embrace…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":80559,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[30930,52,24168,1982],"class_list":["post-80558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-edmonton","tag-dylan-larkin","tag-edmonton","tag-mike-babcock","tag-pittsburgh-penguins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}