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<\/p>\nThe bottles were still popping in South Florida Sunday, a full five days after the Florida Panthers won their second Stanley Cup in as many years. While a few players\u2019 livers might be ready for a vacation, the players partied on with thousands of fans lining the beachfront parade route. Fortunately, our colleague George Richards is never far from the hard work of such bedrock journalism and has the full story. There are multiple conflicting reports on Mitch Marner\u2019s contract demands, but a sign-and-trade might make some sense if he\u2019s amenable. And some mock draft shuffling could indicate a problem for the Penguins in this Friday\u2019s NHL Draft, but one solution that may become more attractive is a trade.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t know about you, but by Sunday evening, the heat had made me good and miserable. By the time I sat down at the desk for WPXI\u2019s Final Word, I could have spit nails\u2013yet I had no real reason. Unless you love golf or are really a Pirates diehard who thinks the team is on the cusp of contending, I managed to keep it between the lines, but I may have figuratively bounced off the guardrails.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, I did get a few moments of decompression this weekend. Yesterday, I posted about my quick ride up north and the little hidden gems that have vanished. So, yesterday I giggled just a bit when I got lost only to find myself (with no signs to alert me) on a back road riding into the little town of Marienville on Rt. 66. There\u2019s a little restaurant\/bar called Kelly\u2019s. It appears to be the last one standing in the small off-road vehicle-friendly town, in which three hotels have closed in the last two years. I guess no one goes camping and rolls into Kelly\u2019s anymore, because I sat there by myself on a Sunday afternoon enjoying my meatloaf and mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n
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I don\u2019t know where everyone is or why these towns have had such a steep drop in tourism in the last couple of years, but they are cheap getaways and good people (I spent less than $150 this weekend on hotel, meals, and fuel). And who doesn\u2019t love an old wood-paneled dive bar with a shuffleboard table and real food?<\/p>\n
Seriously, I\u2019ll be happy to make some recommendations if you just need a getaway and haven\u2019t been to the northern and central PA mountains. It was 78 degrees and partly cloudy up north. From Franklin to Wellsboro, I\u2019ve been through every small town on the map, and I\u2019m happy to help keep a few of these places in existence.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Penguins<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: I should have known better. A few people read this story and didn\u2019t get the nuanced wording about trading Rickard Rakell, but hopefully, you\u2019ll see the full picture. This might be the most important week for the Penguins organization in 20 years. As the draft approaches, some mock drafts might be concerning to the Penguins. Here\u2019s why trading up quickly\u2013and some opportunities to do so\u2013makes sense for the Penguins draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n Steelers Now: It\u2019s never too early to run mock drafts in the NFL. It\u2019s a year-round projection and conversation. So, in 2026, it looks like the Steelers could find their next quarterback<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Baseball Now: The trade deadline is a bit more than a month away, but the Pirates could begin (should begin) selling any day now. Here are the latest Pirates trade rumors<\/a>.<\/p>\n NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now<\/p>\n Florida Hockey Now: It was party day in Florida. The boys let rip once again, and this time the fans got to join the party. Sam Bennett had another Wolf of Wall Street quote to deliver when he not-so-soberly addressed people who accuse Florida of playing dirty. It was a joyous scene in Fort Lauderdale for the Florida Panthers<\/a>.<\/p>\n The \u201cThank You, Boston\u201d chant was another epic troll. I\u2019ve enjoyed these guys more and more. Bring on some humor instead of the milquetoast, boring, vanilla, aww shucks mundane.<\/p>\n Of course, there had to be some X kerfuffle over some things said, but can we all learn to ignore things? Remember when that was possible? If you don\u2019t like something, just scroll on by. We\u2019re ruled by Karens and Kens.<\/p>\n The Athletic ($): Elliotte Friedman pulled back on Jason Robertson trade chatter and admitted he got some pushback on Mitch Marner signing a short-term deal. However, Pierre LeBrun at The Athletic is hearing both of those things. Call it a case of conflicting reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n My two cents: Marner should not sign a short-term deal. He\u2019s part of an ensemble cast, but with the money he\u2019s going to command on the open market, he\u2019ll need to be THE guy at his next stop. That doesn\u2019t always go well. I remember Taylor Hall overplaying his hand after a Hart Trophy. It can happen.<\/p>\n Philly Hockey Now: Our Will James took a stab at the first round of the 20225 NHL Draft. He did pretty well, too. Since we\u2019ve referenced the big guys\u2019 mocks, take a look at our young Will, who is forging a nice career for himself. Not just the Flyers, but the full first round\u2013NHL mock draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n